UC-NRLF 


THE    PHILOSOPHY 


OF 

THE  HUMAN  VOICE 

EMBRACING     ITS 

PHYSIOLOGICAL    HISTORY; 

TOGETHER     -WITU     A 

SYSTEM     OF     PRINCIPLES, 

BY    WHICH 

CRITICISM   IN   THE  ART   OF   ELOCUTION 

MAY    BE    RENDERED     I  N  T  E  L  I  (H  B  L  E, 
AND 

INSTRUCTION,  DEFINITE    AND    COMPREHENSIVE. 

TO    WHICn    IS    ADDED 

A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS 

OF 

SONG    AND    RECITATIVE. 

BY   JAMES   RUSH,  M.D. 

AUTIIOn    OF   A    'NATURAL    HISTORY   OF   THE   INTELECT,'  AND   OF   'HViMLKT, 
A   DRAMATIC    PRELUDE   IN   FIVE   ACTS.' 

SEVENTH  EDITiCN,  'RbvisEI). 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.   B.   LTPPINCOTT  &   CO. 

1879. 


Copyright,  1879,  by  The  Library  Companv  of  Philadelphia. 


•••.;;••:;•:'•.;•::,.:/;*./ 


CONTEN^TS. 


INTRODUCTION, 
SECTION    I. 

II. 


III. 


Page. 
45 


IV. 


VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 


IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 


Of  the  General  Divisions  of  Vocal  Sound,  with 

a  more  particular  acount  of  its  Pitch, 
Of  the  Radical  and  Vanishing  movement ;  and 

its  diferent  forms  in  Speech,  Song,  and  Reci- 
tative, 
Of   the  Elenientarj^  Sounds  of   the  English 

Language  ;  with  their  relations  to  the  Radi- 
cal and  Vanish, 
Of  the  Influence  of  the  Radical  and  Vanish, 

in  tire  production  of  the  various  ))henojnena 

of  Sylablcs, 
Of  the  Causative  Mechanism  of  the  Voice,  in 

relation  to  its  diferent  Vocalities  and  to  its 

Pitch, 
Of  the'Expresion  of  Speecli, 
Of  the  Pitch  of  the  Voice, 
Of  the  Melody  of  Speech  ;  with  an  inquiry 

how  far  the  terms  Key  and  Modulation  are 

aplicable  to  it. 
Of  Vocality  of  the  Voice, 
Of  Abruptness  of  Speech, 
Of  the  Time  of  the  Voice, 
Of  the  Intonation  at  Pauses, 
Of  the  Grouping  of  Speech, 
Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Octave, 
Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Fifth, 
Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Third, 
Of  the  Intonation  of  Interogative  Sentences, 
Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Second, 

(iii) 

25822(3 


69 


88 


101 


IK 


128 
156 

169 


174 
192 
194 
196 
220 
229 
239 
241 
24.3 
246 
278 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


SECTION     XIX.  Of  the  Interval  of  the  Kising  Semitone;  and 

of  the  Chromatic  Melody  founded  thereon,      282 

XX.  Of  the  Downward  Radical  and  Vanish,  29.5 

XXI.  Of  the  Downward  Octave,  299 

XXII.  Of  the  Downward  Fifth,  301 

XXIII.  Of  the  Downward  Third,  303 

XXIV.  Of  the  Downward  Second  and  Sejiiitone,  307 

XXV.  Of  the  Wave  of  the  Voice,  309 

XXVI.  Of  the  Equal- Wave  of  the  Octave,  315 

XXVII.  Of  the  Equal- Wave  of  the  Fifth,  31 G 

XXVIII.  Of  the  Equal- Wave  of  the  Third,  317 

XXIX.  Of  the  Equal-Wave  of  the  Second,  318 

XXX.  Of  the  Equal- Wave  of  the  Semitone,  328 

XXXI.  Of  the  Wave  of  Unequal  Intervals,  330 

XXXII.  Of  the  Intonation  of  Exclamatory  Sentences,     340 

XXXIII.  Of  the  Tremor  of  the  Voice,  354 

XXXIV.  Of  Force  of  Voice,  364 

XXXV.  Of  the  Radical  Stress,  360 

XXXVI.  Of  the  Median  Stress,  371 

XXXVII.  Of  the  Vanishing  Stress,  375 

XXXVIII.  Of  the  Compound  Stress,  377 

XXXIX.  Of  the  Thoro  Stress,  378 
XL.  Of  the  Loud  Concrete,  381 
XLI.  Of  the  Time  of  the  Concrete,  382 
XLII.  Of  the  Aspiration,  383 
XLIII.  Of  the  Emphatic  Vocule,  387 
XLIV.  Of  the  Gutural  Vibration,  389 
XLV.  Of  Acent,  390 
XLVI.           Of  Empha.sis,  395 

Of  Emphasis  of  Vocality,  396 

Of  Emphasis  of  Force,  397 

Of  the  Radical  Emphasis,  398 

*       Of  the  Median  Emphasis,  399 

Of  the  Vanishing  Emphasis,  400 

Of  the  Compound  Emphasis,  401 
Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Thoro  Stress,  and  the 

Loud  Concrete,  402 

Of  the  Aspirated  Emphasis,  408 

Of  the  Emphatic  Vocule,  404 


CONTENTS.  V 

SECTION     XLYI.  Of  the  Gutural  Emphasis,  405 

Of  the  Temporal  Emphasis,  ib. 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  Pitch,  407 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Octave,  409 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Fifth,  411 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Third,  412 

Of  the  p]mphasis  of  the  Rising  Semitone,  413 

Of  the  Downward  Concrete,  415 

Of  the  Downward  Octave,  417 

,                                        Of  the  Downward  Fifth,  419 

Of  the  Downward  Third,  420 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Wave,  422 
Of  the  Equal-Single-Direct  Wave  of  the  Octave,  423 
Of  the  Equfll-Single-Direct  Wave  of  the  Fifth,        425 

Of  the  Unequal-Single  Wave,  42G 

Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Tremor,  428 

A  Recapitulating  View  of  Emphasis,  430 

XLVII.  Of  the  Drift  of  the  Voice,  437 

Of  the  Diatonic  Drift,  438 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Semitone,  439 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Downward  Vanish,  ib. 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Wave  of  the  Second,  ib. 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Wave  of  the  Semitone,  ib. 

Of  the  Drift  of  Quantity,  440 

Of  the  Drift  of  Force,  ib. 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Loud  Concrete,  ib. 

Of  the  Drift  of  Median  Stress,  ib. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  the  Tremor,  ib. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  Aspiration,  441 

The  Partial  Drift  of  Gutural  Vibration,  ib. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  Interogation,  ib. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  the  Phrases  of  Mclodj'',  ib. 

XLVIII.  Of  the  Vocal  Signs  of  ThOt  and  Pasion,  448 

Note.  On  the  Voice  of  Sub-animals,  456 
Of  Th6t  or  Pasion  indicated 

By  the  Piano  of  the  Voice,  461 

By  the  Forte  of  the  Voice,  ib. 

By  Quicknes  of  Voice,  ib. 

By  Slownes  of  Voice,  462 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


SECTION  XLVIII.     By  Vocality  of  Voice,  462 
By  the  Rising  and  Faling  Semitone,  ib. 
By  the  Eising  and  Faling  Second,  ib. 
By  the  Rising  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave,  463 
By  the  Downward  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave,            ib. 
By  the  Wave  of  the  Semitone,  ib. 
By  the  "Wave  of  the  Second,  464 
By  the  Waves  of  the  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave,       ib. 
By  the  Radical  Stress,  465 
By  the  Median  Stress,  ib^^ 
By  the  Vanishing  Stress,  ib. 
By  the  Compound  Stress,  466 
By  the  Thoro  Stress,  ib. 
By  the  Tremor  of  tlie  Second,  and  Wider   In- 
tervals, ib. 
By  the  Tremor  of  the  Semitone,  ib. 
By  the  Aspiration,  ib. 
By  the  Guttural  Vibration,  467 
By  the  Emphatic  Vocule,  ib. 
By  the  Broken  Melody,  ib. 
XLIX.     Of  the  Means  of  Instruction  in  Elocution,  478 
Of  Practice  on  the  Alphabetic  Elements,  483 
Of  Practice  on  the  Time  of  Elements,  487 
Of  Practice  on  the  Vanishing  Movement,  488 
Of  Practice  on  Force,  489 
Of  Practice  on  Stress,  ib. 
Of  Practice  on  Pitch,  490 
Of  Practice  on  Melody,  492 
Of  Practice  on  the  Cadence,  ib. 
Of  Practice  on  the  Tremor,  493 
Of  Practice  on  Vocality,  ib. 
Of  Practice  in  Rapidity  of  Speech,  495 
L.              Of  the  Rythmus  of  Speech,  504 
LI.            Of  the  Faults  of  Readers,  517 
Of  the  Faults  in  Vocality,  529 
Of  Faults  in  Time,  ib. 
Of  Faults  in  Force,  580 
Of  Faults  in  Pitch,  588 
Of  Faults  in  the  Concrete  Movement,  ib. 
Of  Faults  in  the  Semitone,  534 


CONTENTS.  VU 

SECTION    LI.           Of  Faults  in  the  Second,  685 

Of  Faults  in  the  Melody  of  Speech,  686 

First  Fault  in  Melody,  ib. 

Second  Fault  in  Melody,  637 

"third  Fault  in  Melody,  ib. 

Fourth  Fault  in  Melody,  638 

Fifth  Fault  in  Melody,  639 

Sixth  Fault  in  Melody,  ib. 

Seventh  Fault  in  Melody,  640 

Of  Faults  in  the  Cadence,  643 

Of  Faults  in  the  Intonation  at  Pauses,  646 

Of  Faults  in  the  Third,  646 

Of  Faults  in  the  Fifth,  ib. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Downward  Movement,  647 

Of  Faults  in  the  Discrete  Movement,  ib. 

Of  Faults  in  the  "Wave,  ib. 

Of  Faults  in  Drift,  649 

Of  Faults  in  the  Grouping  of  Speech,  652 

Of  the  Fault  of  Mimicry,  653 

Of  Monotony  of  Voice,  656 

Of  Ranting  in  Speech,  657 

Of  Afectation  in  Speech,  ib. 

Of  Mouthing  in  Speech,  ib. 

Of  the  Faults  of  Stage-Personation,  561 

Conclusion,  676 

A  Brief  Analysis  of  Song  and  Recitative,  685 

Of  Song,  686 

Of  Recitative,  617 


TO    THE    READER. 


All  the  reprints  of  this  Worlt  have  sucesively  receved  aditions.  The 
recorded  analysis  and  principles  of  the  First  edition  having  been  derived 
from  exact  observation  and  experiment,  remain  almost  without  alteration. 
The  arangement  has  however  been  slightly  changed.  Three  new  sections^ 
severaly  on  Pitch,  Abruptnes,  and  Exclamatory  sentences,  with  other  di- 
visions, have  been  added,  in  amplification  of  preceding  views  :  and  there  will 
be  found  thruout  the  Work,  aditional  facts,  principles,  and  ilustrations,  to- 
gether with  esthetic  reflections  on  the  subject  of  vocal  Science  and  Art ;  while 
variations  without  number  have  been  made  in  the  explanatory  phraseology. 
It  would  have  been  both  embarasing  and  useles  to  have  marked  the  places  of 
all  the  aditional  facts,  principles,  divisions,  and  nomenclature.  It  is  enuf, 
to  state  the  amount.  The  several  editions,  without  the  prefaces,  and  deduct- 
ing the  blank  portions  not  comon  to  all,  contain  respectively  in  leters,  esti- 
mated by  pages  and  lines,  about  the  folowing  numbers  : 

EDITIONS.  CONTAINS   ABOUT  PUBLISHED. 

First 742,000   leters,  January,  1827. 

Second 814,000       "  June,  1833. 

Third 8-50,000       "  December,  1844. 

Fourth 1,024,000       "  January,  1855. 

Fifth 1,232,000       "  May,  1859. 

Sixth 1,248,000       "  April,  1867. 

The  first  writing  of  the  Work  ocupied  about  three  years  of  leisure  from 
Profesional  and  Social  engagements.  The  subsequent  aditions  may  alto- 
gether have  employed  about  eighteen  months. 


NOTICE 


IMPROVED  SPELLING  IN  THIS  WORK. 

To  prevent  surprise  and  misapprehension,  on  the  subject  of  the 
unusual  orthography  in  the  present  Edition,  we  here  give  a  short  ac- 
count of  tlie  purpose,  the  motives,  and  the  manner  of  its  application. 

As  somebody  first  omitted  the  superfluous  u  from  tlie  English 
word  labour,  it  is  here  the  intention  cautiously  to  remove  the  un- 
pronounced  t,  of  several  words  similar  to  perceive,  and  to  lessen 
the  double  consonants  of  tlie  language.  We  are  no  more  bound 
to  respect  an  old  literary  habit  of  spelling,  when  advantage  is  to 
be  gained,  and  only  prejudice  to  be  shocked  by  the  change,  than 
upon  proof  against  it,  to  respect  a  conventional  creed  on  any  other 
subject.  Orthography  has  been  variously  altered  for  the  worse, 
as  well  as  for  tlie  better,  by  '  nobody  knows  who,'  as  if  the  inno- 
vator feared  to  be  caught  by  the  norma  loquendi  or  fashionable  rule 
of  the  pen.  The  little  here  offered  is  directed  by  the  Grammar, 
which  teaches  to  give  the  letters  that  make  the  sound  of  the  word  ; 
and  we  add,  to  give  no  more :  following  the  classical  Latin,  which 
gives  much  nearer  than  we  do,  letter  for  sound ;  though  it  is  yet 
too  soon  always  to  do  this.  We  must  except  from  our  propasal  of 
improvement,  cases  that  would  have  a  temporary  awkwardness  to 
the  eye ;  and  that  from  the  deficiency  of  our  vowel  symbols,  afford 
no  habitual  rule  to  direct  tlie  sound  of  a  sylable. 

Nor  have  we  been  mindless  of  euphony,  and  therefore  prefer 
the  smooth  and  gliding  quantity  and  sound  of  impunc  to  the 
half  hiccupy  catch  of  impugn;  have  given  the  strong  accent  to  6r 
2  (ix) 


X  NOTICE   OF   THE   IMPROVED 

and  grd  in  orthography,  to  avoid  the  like  guttural  og;  and  have 
changed  the  lip-issuing  eu  {yeu  or  ceu)  to  the  free  oral  u,  in  via- 
nuver.  If  it  be  said,  these  words  are  so  pronounced:  then  write 
them  so.  Ours  is  the  English  language;  we  have  therefore,  when 
justified  by  the  ear  and  the  eye,  rejected  or  changed  the  consonant 
sylables,  vre,  tre,  and  que,  of  the  French.  Thus  individually  trymg 
to  do  slowly  in  part,  what  the  crowd  of  Reviews,  Magazines,  News- 
papers, and  Governments,  with  their  influence  and  patronage  could, 
under  a  wise  commission,  accomplish  by  a  broad  and  rapid  sweep. 

To  an  observant  and  reflective  Reformer,  it  would  be  as  easy  in 
principle  and  rule,  to  correct  a  false  orthography,  though  as  diffi- 
cult in  practice,  as  to  change  a  metaphysical  and  corrupt  religion ; 
for  it  is  only  returning  to  Nature's  ordination  of  sound  and  sign, 
in  the  former  case,  and  in  the  latter,  to  the  simplicity  of  humble 
submission  to  that  physical  superiority  of  God  and  Nature  over 
the  mind  and  conduct  of  man,  which  the  reflective  study  of  their 
works  will  always  insure.  But  as  the  crowd  of  writers  of  what- 
ever class,  and  the  vulgar  may  corrupt,  yet  never  reform,  the  pro- 
posal and  attempt  are  left  for  the  adventurous  individual  who  must 
take  the  fearful  odds  against  him. 

Who,  except  a  corrector  of  the  Press,  and  a  drilled  memorial 
scholar,  knows  always,  unhesitatingly  how  to  spell  ?  Nobody ! 
This  both  with  the  studious  and  the  ignorant  arises,  in  the  English 
language,  from  there  being  a  deficiency  of  the  vowel  symbols,  and 
a  redundancy  of  consonants.  It  would  then  seem  easy,  to  add  a 
few  to  one,  and  to  reduce  the  number  of  the  other.  This  however, 
in  opposition  to  scholastic  usage,  would  be  a  hopeless  task :  for  the 
self-relying  personal  power  of  the  wonder-working  Hercules  has  not 
reached  our  time:  though  we  do  not  mean  like  Bishop  Wilkins,  and 
otliers,  to  offer  a  '  Real  Character,'  or  a  newly  invented  alphabet  of 
symbols:  an  attempt,  however  philosophic,  as  practically  vain,  as 
trying  to  change  a  man  to  a  Seraph  by  feathering-out  his  arms  into 
wings ;  which  the  Satirist  on  the  learned  and  ingenious  Prelate's 
'  Essay '  seemed  to  have  thought,  in  his  Fable  of  a  flying  humanity. 

The  sixth  Edition  of  this  Work,  besides  other  changes,  shows  a 
partial  rejection  of  the  double  consonants.  Here  it  is  proposed  to 
reject  them  all ;  for  they  are  almost  universally  unnecessary,  es- 
pecially at  the  end  of  words,  where  even  the  self  excusing  pedant 


SPELLING   IN   THIS   WORK.  XI 

cannot  find  an  apology  for  applying  them:  and  though  they  are 
sometimes  improperly  used  to  indicate  the  character  of  a  preceding 
voAvel ;  this  would  be  done  more  precisely,  by  increasing  the  num- 
ber of  the  vowel  symbols,  and  denoting  their  proper  time  and  sound. 
As  an  exception  to  the  above  general  rule,  I  have  not  removed  the 
redundant  consonants  from  monosylables,  and  a  few  dissylables ;  it 
would  be  at  present  awkward,  and  might  draw  attention  and  pro- 
voke opposition  by  its  oddity;  though  a  reader  might  in  time 
become  reconciled  to  the  change  when  others  effect  it. 

It  is  shown  in  the  third  section  and  elsewhere  in  this  work,  that 
the  physiology  of  consonant  sounds  does  not  only  prove  the  doub- 
ling to  be  unnecessary,  but  practically  forbids  it.  All  the  conso- 
nants close  their  utterance  either  by  a  faint  vocal  or  by  an  aspirate 
jet,  a  vocula,  or  little  voice  or  vocule  as  I  have  called  it;  more 
audible  as  an  aspirate  severally  in  the  final  k,  p,  and  t,  in  nick,  skip, 
and  hate;  and  slightly,  in  what  has  been  called,  guttural  murmur, 
at  the  close  of  all  the  vocal  consonants.  This  vocule  is  the  means 
of  the  easy  coalescence  of  the  consonants  with  the  vowels ;  making 
all  the  consonants  flow  severally  into  them.  Now  vowels  having 
no  final  vocule,  two  or  more  do  not  coalesce  vnth  each  other;  nor 
do  double  consonants,  even  with  their  vocule,  unite  into  one  syla- 
ble;  therefore  two  proximate  vowels,  and  two  proximate  conso- 
nants, if  pronounced,  must  respectively  make  two  sylabic  efforts. 
And  hence  double  consonants,  within  a  sylable,  cannot  together,  be 
uttered  by  a  single  vocal  impulse. 

I  have  looked  over  the  dictionary  with  reference  to  double  con- 
sonants. At  the  end  of  a  word  and  within  a  sylable,  they  are  as 
above  stated,  useless  to  the  voice.  They  appear  however,  double 
at  the  connection  of  successive  sylables,  as  in  the  Avord  command. 
Are  they  necessary  here?  Only  in  some  cases.  In  the  grciitcr 
number,  the  consonant  at  the  end  of  the  preceding  sylable  coalesces 
with  the  preceding  vowel,  and  would  coalesce  with  the  vowel  of 
the  succeeding  sylable,  if  the  second  consonant  did  not  prevent  it. 
In  the  hasty  current  of  speech,  and  of  declamation,  the  second  m 
is  not  pronounced,  and  is  therefore  useless ;  the  final  consonant  of 
the  preceding  sylable  skipping  the  second  consonant,  and  gliding 
into  the  next  vowel  a.  If  the  utterance  is  slow,  or  the  second 
sylable,  as  in  commdnd  is  emphatic,  then  the  a  is  to  be  strongly 


XU     NOTICE   OF   THE   IMPROVED   SPELLING  IN  THIS  WORK. 

exploded;  and  this  is  to  be  eiFected  by  making  a  momentary  pause 
before  the  second  m,  and  bursting  by  its  vocule  into  the  emphatic  a; 
in  which  case  the  double  consonant  is  used.  Or  this  may  be  done 
by  the  same  process  with  the  first  m;  rejecting  the  second.  Some 
sylables  are  altogether  consonants,  as  ble,  and  Jle,  in  bubble  and 
shuffle;  but  these  are  no  exception  to  the  rule  of  the  single  conso- 
nant, at  the  junction  of  sylables,  and  of  its  gliding  into  the  following 
vowel,  for  these  and  their  similars  are  pronounced,  bubel  and  shufel. 

I  have  omitted  the  silent  guttural  gh  wherever  it  occurs,  and 
propose  to  supply  its  place  by  the  letters,  au,  o,  u,  ou  or  uf,  as  in 
thaut,  tho,  thru,plou,  and  enuf.  The  same  gh  is  omitted  as  useless  in 
might,  right,  sight,  and  that  family  of  words ;  e  being  added  to  mite, 
and  the  rest,  to  indicate  the  long  sound  of  i.  From  would  and  its 
family  I  is  rejected.  So  far  as  I  have  reduced  these  changes  to  prac- 
tice, they  are  easily  legible  by  the  literal  sound.  Thaut  and  caut,  site 
and  mite,  wud  and  cud,  while  acceptable  to  the  ear,  will  soon  cease 
to  shock  the  eye.  The  distinction  between  mite  the  auxiliary,  and 
mite  the  noun,  and  mite  the  insect  will  at  once  be  determined  by  the 
connection  of  the  first  with  the  verb,  and  the  use  of  the  last  two  in 
the  nominative  or  objective  case.  And  so  of  rite  the  adjective  and 
of  rite  as  a  noun ;  of  site,  vision,  and  of  site,  situation,  where  the 
grammatical  construction  will  make  the  distinction  obvious;  and 
so  of  the  rest  not  stated  here ;  upon  all  which,  the  facilities  of  one 
side  may  explain  and  justify  the  difficulties  of  the  other. 

I  leave  the  desperate  case  of  the  redundant  and  deficient  vowels 
to  some  future  Hercules,  to  use  his  club  on  the  thousand  forms  of 
Antaeus  that  will  continue  to  rise  against  him.  If  this  work 
would  not  at  present  be  strangled  in  the  attempt,  it  would  propose 
and  use  a  new  and  simple  analogical  type,  for  three  of  the  form  of 
a;  but  we  leave  these  and  other  reforms  in  spelling  to  futurity. 

What  is  here  proposed  and  exemplified  in  part,  will  be  sufficient 
to  make  the  hair  of  the  literary  formalist  and  the  reviewer  stand 
on-end,  at  this  havoc  with  their  language.  Let  them  calm  their 
horror;  it  will  not  tear  it  up  by  the  roots,  to  prevent  its  lying 
down  again,  and  covering  the  baldness  of  their  superanuated  error. 

The  reform  here  offered  will  be  acceptable  to  those  who  dare 
to  use  it.  Others  will  stone  the  innovation  as  the  metaphysical 
and  stiffnecked  Israelites  served  their  unconforming  Prophets. 


PREFACE 


SIXTH   EDITION. 

After  the  publication  of  tlie  '  Xatural  History  of  the  Intelect/ 
the  Author  was  disposed  to  dilate  the  former  Title-page  of  the 
present  Work  to  what  it  was  originaly  intended  to  embracej  the 
promise  of  a  description  of  the  voice,  as  the  preparatory  part  of 
that '  History.'*  The  purpose  of  the  History  was  in  the  mind  of 
the  Authorj  with  only  short  memorandums  of  his  penj  for  nearly 
half  a  century,  interupted  however,  time  after  time  by  profesional, 
and  by  social  engagements ;  but  finaly  gathered,  and  reduced  to  a 
writen  system,  within  the  few  last  years  of  that  period.  Before  it 
apeared  in  print,  he  declared  to  no  one,  either  relative,  or  other 
asociate,  the  subject  of  his  inquiry :  thereby  preventing  all  antici- 
pative  or  conjectural  scientific,  or  literary  gosip  which  might  in  a 
friendly  maner,  or  otherwise  have  interfered  with  the  quiet  secrecy 
of  his  ocupation.  He  has  however,  for  causes,  left  the  title  of  the 
Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice  unchanged. 

To  the  observant  Reader  of  the  two  publications,  any  altera- 
tion is  unecesar)^ ;  for  he  will  find  certain  principles,  remarks,  and 
prospective  views  contained  in  the  '  Philosophy,'  systematicaly  un- 
folded in  the  'HLstor}';'  which  if  developed  earlier,  in  the  'Phi- 
losophy,' would  have  been  premature,  not  comprehended,  or  most 
probably  unoticed ;  but  which  must  now  show  him  the  maner  of  a 

*  For  an  acount  of  the  purposes  of  the  double  coma  here  introduced,  see  a 
note  on  the  first  page  of  the  Introduction. 

(xiii) 


XIV  PREFACE   TO  THE   SIXTH   EDITION. 

direct  conection  between  the  functions  of  the  mind  and  the  voice. 
For  it  will  be  learned  that  the  two  Works  are  to  be  considered  as 
the  first  and  second  parts  of  one  great  interwoven  vocal  and  in- 
telectual  subject:  there  being  in  the  ' Philosophy  of  the  Voice' 
constant  reference  to  its  mental  aplication;  and  in  the  'History 
of  the  Intelect/  ocasional  cals  for  knowledge  of  the  thdtive  and 
expresive  power  of  the  voice. 

And  here  the  Author  adds. to  this  Sixth  Edition,  a  record j  how 
the  '  Philosophy '  continues  to  be  regarded  by  the  ocupants  of  the 
eminent  and  influential  places  of  instructionj  with  orators,  players, 
and  other  suitors  to  the  ear  of  the  public ;  who  finding  they  can 
suced,  each  to  his  own  satisfaction,  in  his  limited  purposes  of  Elo- 
cutionj  after  the  old  fashion  of  learningj  leave  this  Work  to  the 
patronage  of  those  early  instructors  and  improvers,  who  are  thus 
laying  the  foundation  for  some  lasting  usefulnes  and  pleasure  in 
science  and  in  art. 


Philadelphia,  November  27,  1866. 


PREFACE 


FIFTH    EDITION. 

What  has  been  ofcrecl  in  the  several  Prefaces  to  this  Work,  is 
to  be  taken  as  only  a  brief  notice  of  the  maner  in  which  it  has 
been  regarded,  within  the  period  of  thirty  years  from  its  publica- 
tion ;  and  is  intended,  rather  for  an  ocasional  inquirer  of  a  future 
age,  to  whom  it  may  be  interesting,  than  for  the  present  genera- 
tion, who,  while  indiferent  to  the  AVork  itself,  can  have  no  curi- 
osity about  its  early  progres  and  its  subsequent  fate. 

Having  however,  thru  more  sources  than  one,  heard  the  remark, 
that  its  prefaces  are  looked  upon  as  the  only  inteligible  part  of  the 
Volumej  I  have,  to  avoid  driving  even  an  unwiling  intelect  alto- 
gether away,  retained  them  in  their  present  places  and  not  transfered 
them  as  I  had  intended,  to  an  Apendix ;  being  further  induced 
thereto,  by  the  consideration,  that  with  the  record  of  its  progres, 
which  is  the  principal  object,  they  contain  ocasional  reflections,  in- 
timating a  general  view  of  its  design.  Still,  if  the  future  Reader 
should  feel  no  interest  in  early  opinions,  either  friendly  or  adverse 
to  it,  he  may  pas  on  to  the  Introduction ;  which  as  a  constituent 
part  of  the  subject,  regards  what  the  Art  of  Speech  has  already 
acomplishedj  and  what  is  yet  to  be  done  in  its  purposes,  both  of 
Instruction,  and  Taste.     But  to  continue  the  record. 

Since  the  date  of  the  fourth  edition,  in  eighteen  liundred  and 
fifty-five,  thftse  who  hold  a  certain  influence,  in  the  higher  depart- 
ments of  learningj  still  true  to  the  Mede-and-Persian  normality 
of  the  Majesterial  mind,  which  docs  not  alow  itself  to  altcrj  con- 

(XV) 


XVI  PREFACE   TO   THE 

tinue  to  maintain,  with  here  and  there  a  rebelious  exception,  the 
same  indiference  to  the  Analysis ;  with  a  sly,  if  not  an  open  opo- 
sition  to  its  creeping  advancement:  altho  they  might  find  in  its 
pages,  something  they  have  pretended  to  be  in  search  of. 

There  is  however  another,  tho  humble  class,  for  until  our  pur- 
poses and  means  are  comprehended,  we  are  obliged  so  to  call  our- 
selvesj  who  are  still  laboring  with  gradual  succes  to  enlarge  the 
number  of  scholars  and  advocates  of  the  New  Elocution,  and  who, 
in  their  unheeded  exertions,  are  contented  with  this  sarcastic  reflec- 
tion on  the  lazy  pride  and  unproductive  favoritism  of  Scholastic 
Patronagej  There  never  was  a  wise  or  holy  reformation,  that  the 
Lowly  and  Despised  did  not  first  assist  the  master  of  it. 

But  in  regarding  their  exertions,  especialy  thruout  the  Northern 
Statesj  under  the  influence  of  Mr.  William  Russell,  Principal  of 
the  Normal  Institute  at  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  and  of  his  able 
Coadjutors j  in  extending  the  work  of  widely  reforming,  if  not 
founding  anew  the  whole  Art  of  Speech,  without  a  single  Judas  to 
desert,  for  he  could  not  betray  them ;  I  was  acidentaly  told,  that  in 
an  English  Review,  of  high  authority,  and  extended  circulation, 
Some  Body  has,  for  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  come  along 
with  the  servants  of  the  High  Priests  of  the  old  elocution,  to  lay, 
and  this  is  all  I  would  hear,  not  only  unmerciful  hands  on  the 
'  Philosojjhy  of  the  Human  Voicej '  but  unmerciful  sneers  on  its 
Author :  being  in  his  hardy  onset,  safely  asured,  that  none  of  our 
company  would  defensively  think  of  cuting  off  an  ear,  from  one  so 
deaf  to  the  sound  of  the  speaking  voice,  as  to  furnish  the  verdict 
of  his  having  already  lost  both  of  his  dull,  and  as  a  '  paid  volun- 
teer' in  partizan-acoustics,  his  criminaly  dull  and  worthies  ears  in 
some  other  way.* 

*  If  we  were  disposed  to  be  sportfuly  clasical,  we  might,  from  our  presump- 
tuous Keviower  having  the  knack  of  so  readily  transmuting  pen,  ink,  paper, 
and  ignorance,  into  pay^  have  otherwise  represented  him  as  the  '  ingenium 
pingue,'  the  gross-wittcd  Midas;  for  whose  audacious  decision  against  the 
musical  claims  of  Apolloj  the  indignant  yet  compromising  God  did  not  cut-off, 
but  only  closed  his  ears  from  music  and  speech,  in  providing  for  their  sub- 
animal  wants,  by  the  apropriate  gift  of  greater  extension. 

Nee  Delius  aurcs 
Humanam  stolidas  patitur  retinere  figuram  : 


FIFTH   EDITION.  XVU 

Besides,  we  profess  to  be  only  like  peaceful  and  industrious 
bees,  gathering  from  nature  an  abundant  store  for  future  use; 
yet  wishing  it  to  be  remembered,  that  the  busy  colectors  are,  by 
some  wise  ordination,  provided  with  the  means  of  defease,  under 
suficient  provocation ;  which  means  however,  the  quiet  laborers  of 
our  litle  hive  have  not  yet  had,  and  trust  they  may  not  have,  cause 
to  employ. 

In  the  second  page  of  our  Introduction,  I  early  declared  my 
resolution,  neither  to  read,  nor  seriously  to  consider,  any  objec- 
tions against  tliLs  Analysis  and  system,  that  are  not  the  result  of 
a  scrutinizmg  comparison  of  its  descriptions  with  the  phenomena 
of  nature  herself:  which  is  only  stating  in  other  words,  a  precept 
of  Baconian  science j  that  justifies  us  in  disregarding  every  objec- 
tion to  observations  and  experiments,  not  drawn  from  observa- 
tions and  experiments,  more  extensive  and  exact ;  for  this  method 
saves  much  il-conditioned  and  wasteful  argument.  Certainly  then, 
if  our  mercenary  asailant,  in  rejecting  the  facts  on  which  we  have 
endeavored  to  raise  a  Natural  Science  of  speech,  does  not,  with  a 
more  atentive  ear,  give  us  the  facts  by  which  he  rejects  themj  he 
must  look  to  his  own  self-inflicted  mortification,  if  we  neither  read 
what  he  writes,  nor  take  particular  notice  of  any  report  upon  it. 

While  in  England  some  years  ago,  a  Publisher  proposed  to  me, 
and  ofered  on  liLs  own  partj  notwithstanding  school-book  copy- 
right and  other  oposing  influences  of  British  Elocution^  to  print 
a  London  edition  of  the  New  Analysis.  But  knowing  from  the 
sovereignty  of  Truth  and  Time,  in  their  unfailing  patronage  of 
every  deserving  efort  m  science,  that  with  wisdom  in  cause  and 
consequence,  they  always  bestow  it  in  their  own  procrastinating 
way ;  and  considering  that  certain  contrivances  and  subornations 
of  Trade,  are  esential  to  present  succes ;  I  declined  making  what  I 
then  considered  a  useless  submision  of  the  Work,  either  to  the 

Sed  trahit  in  spatium  ; 

Induiturque  aures  lente  gradientis  aselli. 

Ovid  Met.  B.  XL  I.  174. 

The  God  to  punish  such  presumptuous  pride, 
Yet  still  with  justice  swayed  to  mercy's  sidej 
To  those  so  dull  and  tunelcs  cars  decreed 
A  bounteous  length,  to  servo  the  Ass's  need. 


XVUl  PREFACE   TO  THE 

negative  eifect  of  Foreign  indiference,  or  to  that  anticipated 
Foreign  oposition,  which  has  presented  itself  in  the  form  of  a 
thotles,  and  I  must  supose  a  reversible  condemnation.  For  a 
'  cry  of  critics  'is  by  no  means  to  be  let  loose  in  our  case,  as  in 
that  of  the  great-baby-ism  of  a  banquet  speech ;  an  every-day 
marketable  fiction ;  some  threadbare  history,  a  thousand  times  re- 
writen;  and  the  '  light  reading '  biographical  gosip  on  a  popular 
career ;  which  with  the  comonplaces  of  knowledge,  a  habit  of 
scholarship,  and  the  haste  of  uncorected  thot,  may  be  whiped-over 
in  an  evening,  by  a  run  and  skip  of  the  pen.  Nor  will  more  than 
thrice  'ten  sterling  pounds  per  sheet,'  pay  for  the  Pauses  and 
Plunges,  the  re-pausing  and  re-plunging,  necesary  for  a  deep  and 
thorou  inquiry  into  the  new  analysis  and  clasification,  and  for  an 
impartial  and  responsible  decision  upon  it.* 

This  Work  is  to  be  thoroly  studied  as  a  whole,  and  taught  in  all 
its  fulnes ;  not  to  be  here  and  there  sketched-oif,  in  a  few  pages  of 
a  quarterly  journal,  and  poorly  ilustrated  by  ocasional  examples 
of  its  good  or  indiferent  quality.  If,  in  executing  it,  we  had  thot 
of  the  Reviewers,  we  would  have  prefigured  an  individual  of  those 
ready  scribesj  as  Horace  denotes  the  genus,  standing  on  one  foot, 
and  writing  without  fatiguej  taking  his  text  from  the  Title  of  the 
Workj  peeping  between  its  uncut  leavesj  mistaking  its  themej  un- 
dervaluing its  contents,  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  the  use  of 
themj  and  then  extracting  what  would  suit  his  sory  ambition  to 
furnish  a  useles  article,  he  might  choose  to  cal  an  original  essay  of 
his  own. 

Having  learned  however,  that  at  least  one  or  two  oixiers  for  the 

*  To  Jeifrey  go,  be  silent  and  discreet, 
His  pay  is  just  ten  sterling  pounds  per  sheet.     English  Bards,  I.  70. 

See  the  whole  of  Byron's  retortive  method  of  distiling  down  to  a  caput  mor- 
iuum,  the  enlarged  spleen  and  personal  gal  of  his  merciles  Scotch  Reviewer : 
who  tho  '  self  constituted  Judge '  in  the  Court  of  the  Muses,  could  not  make 
himself  Prophet  enuf,  to  forese  in  the  youthful  Poet,  tho  potential  pen,  and 
the  future  actual  vengeance  of  his  intended  victim  :  and  who  showed  quite  as 
much  il-natured  surprise,  at  the  bare  thOt  of  a  Noble  Lord  presuming  to  pub- 
lish a  poeinj  as  our  Englishman  of  tho  thrice  ten  silver  pieces  has  done,  at  tho 
suposition  of  one  whom  he  takes  to  be  a  Democrat,  daring  to  uter  some  origi- 
nal truths,  which  from  their  not  being  yet  vulgarized,  ho,  himself  a  demo- 
cratic thinker  and  writer,  canot  comprehend. 


FIFTH   EDITIOX.  XIX 

book  had  come  from  England ;  and  suposing,  that  without  being 
an  object  of  general  interest,  it  might  here  and  there  atract  a 
curious  reader,  if  set  l^oforc  hinij  I  proposed  to  the  American 
publishers,  to  try  an  exjyeriment  tcith  it,  on  the  noisele.s,  candid, 
and  unhired  English  intelect.  Fifty  copies  of  the  fourth  edition 
•were  sent :  and  imediately  thcreujion,  one  of  the  most  powerful 
and  popular  Periodicals  of  the  Kingdom,  suportcd  by  its  full 
share  of  an  aray  of  the  '  intelect,  learning,  research,'  and  of  the 
pen-paying,  and  mind-impairing  Journalism  of  the  Nineteenth 
Century-,  has  determined  for  all  those  Mho  do  not  read  and  think 
for  themselves,  that  even  if  there  could  be  the  human  imposibility 
of  a  Natural  Science  of  Speech j  the  '  Philosophy '  has  not  the  mi- 
raculous Gift  of  ear  and  tongue,  nor  the  descriptive  and  clasifying 
pen  to  furnish  it. 

And  yet  to  record  fairly,  I  have  met  \nth  one  instance,  from 
which  it  does  apearj  there  is  not  a  univei^sal  deafnes  to  the  voice 
of  the  Work,  in  our  over-critical,  over-compiling,  and  comjiared 
with  what  she  has  been,  and  with  what  she  rightly  should  be,  in 
iutelectual  fertility-,  our  present  under-producing  Mother  Island. 
But  notwithstanding  the  candid  admission  by  Better  England  her- 
self, of  the  decline  of  the  originality  and  vigor  of  her  intelect,  into 
the  desultory  and  garbling  method  of  Criticism,  which  under  its 
meanly  masked,  and  iresponsible  Oligarchy,  has  at  last  brot-down 
the  debilitated  pen  with  its  '  th riling'  naratives, '  startling'  fictions, 
and  threadbare  truths,  to  seek  the  protective  patronage  of  the 
reading  milion ;  still  we  should  not  altogether  adopt  the  comon 
opinion,  that  a  critical  age,  more  than  the  declining  life  of  man, 
tho  it  may  generally,  should  be  necesarily  and  without  exception, 
garulous  on  every-day  thots  and  thingsj  and  turn -drowsy  over 
the  tasking  pages  of  original  truth ;  should  be  given  up  to  fond- 
ling the  pets  of  a  family ;  and  to  being  peevish,  or  rude,  or  va- 
cantly '  sans  ears '  to  the  voice  of  the  stranger  without  the  gate  of 
its  calculating  generosity.  For  we  have  all  heard  that  Cato,  the 
Censor,  tho  of  the  ruf  Roman  Horde,  the  piratical  archetype  of 
our  boasted  Anglo-Saxon  race,  did  in  his  old  age,  lay  open  his 
mind  to  new  and  refined  instruction,  even  thru  the  embarassing 
inlet  of  a  foreign  tongue. 

The  slightest  clearing  however,  of  the  brow  in  a  frowning 


XX  PREFACE   TO   THE 

parent  deserves  our  grateful  acknowledgment ;  and  it  is  justly  to 
be  recorded  here,  that  about  eight  years  ago,  there  fell  into  my 
hands,  and  it  is  now  before  me,  a  new  edition  of  '  Grarrick's  man- 
ner of  reading  the  Liturgy  j '  prefaced  with  a  '  Discourse  on  public 
reading,'  by  one  caling  himself  a  '  Tutor  in  Elocution,'  and  pub- 
lished at  London,  and  Cambridge,  in  eighteen  hundred  and  forty; 
thirteen  years  after  the  date  of  the  *  Philosophy  of  the  Human 
Voice.'  There  is  loosely  scatered  over  this  Discourse,  and  am- 
bitiously apropriated  to  itself,  tho  poorly  comprehended,  some  of 
the  facts  and  principles  taken  without  acknowledgment  from  the 
'  Philosophy ; '  while  its  Author  is  quoted  by  name,  in  an  out-of- 
the-way  foot-note,  for  g,  single  term  of  his  nomenclature.  On 
the  undefined  and  limited  ground  of  these  disjointed  facts  and 
principles,  the  Tutor  anounces  a  *  forthcoming  work  on  the  human 
voice,  and  its  expresion  in  speech ; '  derived,  as  his  own  confident 
promise  and  his  means  lead  us  to  conclude,  from  some  other  source 
than  that  of  his  own  observation  and  reflection.  If  after  nineteen 
years,  this  great  work  has  not  forth-come,  we  must  think,  from 
what  he  has  already  in  comon  with  the  '  Philosophy,'  and  from  his 
vague  maner  of  defining  and  dividingj  that  it  would  save  both 
himself  and  his  readers  much  trouble,  to  republish  if  permited, 
the  work,  of  which  he  seems  so  clearly  to  aprove,  rather  than 
furnish  a  strong  resemblance  to  its  contents,  in  his  own  maner  of 
describing  them.* 

He  who  claims  the  right  to  a  discovery  already  published, 
asumes  either  to  be  the  first  and  ful  author  of  it,  or  to  have  had 
an  obscure  hint  of  it,  in  some  maner,  he  is  not  often  forward  to  tel. 
On  which  of  these  two  grounds  then  did  the  Tutor  get  the  general 
fact,  that  the  intervals  of  the  diatonic  scale,  with  the  exception  of 
the  second,  may  be  perceptibly  and  nameably  aplied  to  individual 
sylables,  for  the  purpose  of  vocal  expresion ;  and  that  the  second 
alone  is  used  for  unimpasioned  discourse  ?    How  did  he  draw  from 

*  The  Tutor  has  more  recently  published  two  small  pamphlets,  under  the 
respective  names  of  an  '  Introductory  lecture,'  and  '  Acoustics  and  Loj^ic  ; ' 
in  which  his  aprobation  of  our  new  Analysis  and  system  of  the  voice  is  fur- 
ther shown  by  his  free,  yet  still  garbled  use  of  its  pages.  In  the  present  com- 
ents,  I  refer  indiscriminately  to  each  of  these  three  scrap-sketches;  which 
may  be  resolved  into  cases  either  of  sad  halucination  or  of  unblushing 
plagiary. 


FIFTH   EDITION.  XXI 

a  little  corner  of  his  mind,  the  comprehensive  induction,  that  Em- 
phasis, in  a  broad  arid  scientific  definition,  should  include  the  dis- 
tinguishable detail  of  every  mode  of  the  voice?  From  whose 
extended  view  did  he  sketch,  on  his  fitYy-ninth  page,  a  synopsis  of 
the  whole  of  Analytic  speech?  What  taught  him  to  make  the 
long  overlooked  but  remarkable  distinction  between  the  diatonic 
mehxlyj  which  he  awkwardly  calls,  ^speech  melodyj'  and  the  con- 
trasted expresion  of  other  intervals,  when  laid  upon  it  ?  Who  told 
him  of  that  threefold  and  nice  distinction  in  sylabic  forcej  caled 
in  the  *  Philosophy '  the  Radical,  Median,  and  Vanishing  Stress  ? 
W'here  did  he  learn,  that  the  usual  elocutionary  terms,  found  even 
in  his  own  Editorial  little-book,  are  from  the  want  of  analytic  de- 
scription, altogether  indefinite  and  uninstructive  ?  And  who  told 
him,  without  seeing  an  exact  system  in  his  '  mind's  eye,'  if  he  has 
one,  or  somewhere  in  print,  the  fact  of  the  Old  Elocution  being  so 
vague,  imperfect,  and  impracticable,  that  we  therefore  now  require 
a  new,  precise,  and  Scientific  Institute  of  the  speaking  voice  ? 

The  history  of  the  voice  contained  in  the  following  Work,  far 
from  being  only  as  the  Tutor  could  comprehend  and  represent 
itj  a  hast}'  catching-up  of  unconected  details,  to  suit  a  compiler's 
purpascj  embraces  generalities  of  related  phenomena,  deliberately 
gathered  within  that  ever  audible,  yet  till  lately,  unentered  field 
of  Intonation ;  where  the  natural  voices  of  thot  and  pasion  had 
long  floated  on  the  air,  inviting,  but  still  awaiting,  the  event  of 
a  careful  clasification  and  nomenclature.  No  aimles  and  hasty 
catching  here  and  there,  at  unasorted  sounds,  astray  from  inter- 
comunion  with  the  vocal  unity  of  that  field,  could  have  brot  them 
together  even  as  awkwardly  as  the  Tutor  has  done.  He  did  not 
find  them  in  Mr.  Steele,  or  Mr.  Walker,  or  in  Authors  who  have 
adopted  their  limited  and  vague,  or  erroneous  descriptions ;  and 
if  they  were  not  picked  at  random,  from  the  '  Philosophy  of  the 
Human  Voice,'  or  taken  out  of  some  American  school-book,  care- 
lesly  representing  a  few  of  the  facts  and  principles,  detached  from 
that  '  Philosophy,'  it  might  be  inferedj  they  were  also  original 
with  him.  But  an  original  and  pcn'ading  truth  never  stands  still, 
nor  travels  alone  in  the  mind ;  and  if  he  who  may  claim  to  have 
discovered  certain  important  facts  and  principles  of  speech,  should 
not  himself  have  seen  much  further,  and  more  clearly  into  related 


XXn  PREFACE  TO  THE 

truths,  he  must  excuse  us,  if  we  conclude^  that  he  did  not  first 
perceve  them  at  all.* 

The  above  case  reminds  me,  that  about  a  year  after  the  first 
apearance  of  the  '  Philosophy  j '  the  Rector  of  a  church  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  published  as  his  own,  in  a  worthies  little  school- 
bookj  with  the  common  promise  of  a  larger  workj  a  hudled  compi- 
lation of  facts  and  principles  on  the  subject  of  the  voice,  identical 
with  some  of  those  set-forth  in  the  *  Philosophy ; '  and  with  the  very 
verbal  examples,  used  for  their  ilustration;  thus  antedating  the 
Tutor  in  his  claims,  by  about  eleven  years.  Had  he  regarded  the 
words  of  the  Evangelist,  more  than  his  own  hopes,  that  a  fraud 
undetected  might  pas  for  a  discovered  truth,  he  would  have  thot 
of  his  Great,  but  unheeded  Mas'ter's  liberal  and  just  imperative; 
which  we  alter  for  present  aplication.  Render  his  own  unto 
Caesar;  and  to  the  literary  Pilferer,  the  Bare-Faeed  Nothings 
that  belong  to  him. 

This  case  of  the  American  Rector  is  here  aded,  to  show  that  we 
have  no  contra-national,  nor  exclusive  views  to  foreign  grand  or 
pety-plagiary :  and  to  say,  that  could  we  be  alowed  to  turn  from 
the  truth  and  honor  of  Science,  to  a  just  personal  retribution,  we 
might  reciprocate  the  Reviewing-favor  of  the  Periodical  stipendi- 
aryj  in  kindly  drawing  British  atention  to  our  Title-page,  and  in 
hastening  the  cal  for  this  Fifth  edition^  by  hanging  him  up,  with 
his  deficient  ear,  anonymously  conspicuous,  between  two  of  those 
who  are  found  with,  or  use  without  acknowledgment,  or  who 
sneak  higly  carry  away  what  does  not  belong  to  them. 

There  is  here  no  prying  curiosity  about  the  names,  nor  idle 
thots  on  the  motives  of  individuals.  The  rights  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice, from  the  universality  of  their  claims,  shud  defend  themselves 
by  general  means,  without  descxinding  into  local  or  special  conten- 
tion with  the  temporary  interest  of  men.  Our  readers  will  per- 
haps find,  we  have  something  to  spare;  and  we  may  add,  that  with 
a  courteous  use,  and  acknowledgment,  it  might  have  been  taken, 

*  Bad  speling,  says  the  Dictionary,  '  is  disreputable  to  a  gcutlcinan.'  For 
an  acount  of  the  disgraceful  practical  usc/ulncs  of  the  above,  and  our  other 
instances  of  bad  speling,  the  Reader  is  refercd  to  the  preceding  Notice.  The 
time  is  perhaps  fur-otf,  when  perseverance  in  eror  will  be  considered  un- 
becoming in  a  gentleman. 


FIFTH   EDITION.  XXlll 

with  our  recorded  thanks  for  the  patronage.  This  Work  was  writ- 
ten fur  the  fair  and  profitable  use  of  intcli<j;cnt  and  honorable  In- 
structors ;  but  the  siime  purpose  that  oti'ers  it  with  no  view  whatever 
to  jjersonal  advantage,  nor  to  present  aprobation,  must  necesarily 
turn  with  contempt  and  indignation,  from  meanness,  artifice,  and 
fraud,  in  those  who  choose  to  accept  its  asistiince. 

If  the  smart  writer  of  commonplaces,  and  Jester-Wit  of  the  day, 
on  once  askings  *  Who  reads  an  American  book,'  had  only  adedj 
the  Englishman  who  steals  from  it,  he  -would  himself  have  made 
all  the  taunting  fun  in  the  case ;  and  not  have  left  others  to  suply 
his  unlucky  oversight,  by  what  he  would  most  have  feltj  a  retro- 
verted  sarcasm.  For  he  has  somewhere  remarked,  that  'it  is  all 
over  with  a  wit,'  when  his  expected  aplause  is  given  to  an  unex- 
pected turn  against  him:  a  condition  to  which  he  never  even 
dreamed  himself  liable. 

While  engaged  upon  this  preface,  I  met  with  ah  Article  in  the 
Westminster  Review,  for  July,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-six ;  in 
which  the  MTiter,  with  unusual  candor  towards  this  Country,  gives 
a  flagrant  instance,  showing,  that  he  who  purloins  from  an  *  Amer- 
ican book,'  must  have  been  the  'who'  to  'read'  it.  The  case  is 
this.  One  of  his  countrymen  brot  out  a  Latin-EnglLsh  dictionary, 
claiming  to  be  based  on  the  Italian  work  of  Forcellini,  and  the 
German  of  Freund;  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  which,  says  the 
WTiter,  is  servily  copied  from  a  translation  of  the  last  named  Au- 
thor by  several  American  hands,  and  published  at  New  York : 
while  aparently  to  hoodwink  his  conscience  in  the  act,  the  literary 
plunder  is  '  most  vehemently  condemned '  by  the  depredator,  in  the 
very  act  of  car>'ing  it  away.  It  is  no  set-off  to  this  charge  of  in- 
ternational freebooting  that  the  instances  of  piracy  by  America,  on 
Britain,  and  Continental  Europe,  are  perhaps  more  than  a  thou- 
sandfold, beyond  those  of  a  reverse  direction  of  the  Bucaneer  de- 
scent ;  for  vices  thus  credited  are  debtors  stil,  and  are  not  to  be 
canceled  by  the  balance  of  an  acount  between  them. 

We  owe  this  however  to  the  Tutor ;  that  having  used  with  ap- 
robation, some  of  the  leading  principles  of  the  Xew  system ;  and 
promising  a  fuler  detail  of  them,  he  has  intimated  his  belief  in 
the  posibility  of  so  describing  the  constituents  of  speech,  as  to  en- 
able himself  or  others,  to  found  a  practical  method  of  instruction 


XXIV  PEEFACE   TO  THE 

upon  them :  which  is  a  considerable  advance  towards  'introducing 
among  his  countrymen,  a  New  Order  in  the  Art  of  speaking ;  at 
whatever  time  and  in  whatsoever  maner  it  may  be  aplied,  to  explain 
and  justify  upon  princijjle,  any  instinctive  proprieties,  and  to  corect 
by  rule,  any  thotles  erors,  that  may  be  found  in  their  old  and 
imperfect  system. 

But  as  to  our  Agressor  of  the  Thirty  Pieces,  with  perhaps  no 
more  eye  for  costume  than  ear  for  speech ;  why  may  he  not  be 
some  Professor  under  the  now  declining  school  of  elocution ;  who, 
fearful  of  losing  even  his  short-lived  profits  in  an  ephemeral  text- 
book, and  with  an  inveterate  pride  in  the  il-fashioned  and  thread- 
bare suit  of  his  mastership,  has  artfully  set  himself  to  prevent 
others  from  adopting  the  new  style  of  Oratorical  Pobe,  in  its 
Natural  cast  of  vocal  drapery ;  which  on  being  first  presented  to 
him,  he  must  have  perceved,  could  never  be  made  to  fold  grace- 
fuly  on  himself.  And  it  is  here  to  be  remarked,  that  when  a  critic 
of  the  trading  sort  has  a  pecuniary,  an  ambitious,  a  dogmatic,  or  a 
grumbling  interest  in  condemning  a  workj  he  is  very  apt  to  con- 
found his  argument  on  the  subject,  with  some  querulous  feeling 
towards  the  author,  who  may  inadvertently  have  brushed  against 
his  temperament,  or  thwarted  his  calculations.* 

It  LS  for  all  of  us,  an  excelent  Law  of  Suspicion,  that  subjects 
the  pretensions  of  both  Invention  and  Discovery,  to  the  slow  and 
cautious  test  of  Time.  For  in  the  present  distrusted  state  of 
human  promises  and  powers,  it  afords  the  only  means  of  protec- 
tion against  the  artful  haste  of  an  Impostor,  by  cuting-oif  his  sole 
reliance  on  the  chance  of  imediate  suces.  It  is  however  no  legiti- 
mate part  of  this  defensive  ordination,  that  even  questionable 

*  It  is  an  incident,  deserving  a  place  in  our  present  record,  that  while  the 
thousand  hovering  Hawks  of  British  Periodicals  dive  at,  and  clutch-up  any 
and  every  sort  of  game,  just  as  it  alights  before  the  public,  they  should  for 
seven  and  twenty  years  have  pased  by  our  folded  wing,  quietly  waiting  for 
future  flight;  thinking  us  perhaps,  too  tasteles  or  tough  for  their  beak;  and  a 
kind  of  nourishment  altogether  foreign  to  their  habitual  proces  of  asimihi- 
tion  :  and  yet,  to  drop  our  figure;  at  the  moment  this  Volume  was  to  be  dis- 
tributed from  the  shelves  of  a  London  Bookseller,  that  it  should  have  rouzed 
the  trading  interest  of  some  Fellow  of  the  Selfish  Society  of  School-book 
Cojiyrights,  to  atack  our  proposed  substitute  for  his  superanuatod  Art  of 
roudiiig;  thereby  to  sustain  at  once  its  decrepitude,  and  his  own  threatened 
ocupation. 


FIFTH    EDITION.  XXV 

claims  slioukl,  with  a  vain  view  to  put  them  l)oyond  tlie  future 
reach  of  a  just  and  decisive  awardj  be  presumptuously  outlawed 
by  an  incompetent  Tribunal,  before  their  reg;ular  term  of  trial. 

But  whatever  may  be  the  fair  or  biased  opinions  of  others,  one 
conclusion  is  quite  satisfactory'  to  the  claims  of  the  New  Analysis ; 
and  it  may  in  future  prevent  imecesary  dispute  on  those  claimsj 
that  the  portion  here  oferal  as  original,  having  been  a  subject  of 
sneering  animadversion,  which  would  certainly  spare  no  contro- 
verting means,  at  the  comand  of  European  research,  during  thirty 
years  of  oportunitvj  there  seems  to  be  almost  an  asurance,  that  its 
facts  and  principles  will  not  be  hereafter  refered  to  any  other  than 
a  modern,  and  for  the  practical  outwiting  of  the  Reverend  Jester- 
Wit,  to  a  Transatlantic  source. 

.  An  early  and  short  paragraphic  notice  of  this  Work,  which  I 
have  heard,  apeared  in  an  English  magazinej  far  from  finding  in 
its  broad  and  leading  principles,  the  traces  of  any  former  system, 
yet  perhaps  to  avoid  the  obligation  of  a  critical  survey  of  its  char- 
acterj  pronounced  it  to  be  a  century  in  advance  of  the  age.  It 
may  indeed  be  so.  But  the  truth  of  to-morrow,  is  the  truth  of 
to-day :  and  he  who  so  cautiously  gave  a  prospective  estimate,  in 
place  of  an  imediate  and  responsible  decision,  which  the  ground 
of  that  estimate  must  have  justified j  was  not  quite  criticaly  honest 
towards  the  Work,  nor  to  his  own  age  propheticaly  civil ;  since 
in  then  ofering  the  hope  of  that  future  award,  which  he  acknowl- 
edged to  be  justly  due,  he  rather  invidiously  questioned  the  capacity 
of  his  cotemporaries,  by  asigning  the  power  of  comprehending  the 
Work,  to  intelects  a  century  in  advance  of  theirs. 

And  yet  after  all,  what  have  the  friends  of  the  New  and  Pro- 
gressive System  to  do  with 'the  true  or  false  calculation,  and  the 
waste-work  of  the  every-day  tongue  and  pen  ?  Let  topics  of  the 
hour  wrestle  with  topics  of  the  hour.  We  offer  to  posterity',  part 
of  the  Histor}'  of  the  Laws  of  Nature,  in  the  human  voicej  here 
gathered  into  a  comprehensive,  and  therefore  to  the  present  ma- 
jority of  those  it  may  concern,  an  incomprehensible  Physical 
Science  of  Speech.  If  the  critical  Journalism  of  the  nineteenth 
Centurv',  tho  generally  co-even  with  the  conventional  knowledge 
of  the  times,  and  not  being  able  to  rise  so  far  above  some  of  its 
e.nbarasments  and  erors,  as  to  perceve  the  extricating  agency  of  a 
3 


XXVI  PREFACE  TO   THE   FIFTH   EDITION. 

few  original  and  simple  truths j  has  with  the  old  subterfuge  of  an 
indolent  or  deficient  intelect,  atempted  to  beat  them  down  by  sneer 
and  denialj  all  our  duty  here  requires,  is  to  record  the  story  of  the 
harmles  asault,  in  this  now  unregarded  Volume ;  which  with  its 
still  unshaken  belief  in  the  future  prevalence  and  sway  of  those 
truths,  may  yet  go-forth  and  endure,  because  it  anounces,  and  en- 
deavors to  extend  them.  It  was  far  from  our  intention  to  cast 
any  pearls  it  might  contain,  before  those  who,  ignorant  of  their 
value,  disapointed  at  the  unavailable  profer,  and  balked  into  un- 
ruly iritation,  would  only  inhumanly  turn  again  and  rend  us. 

Finally,  it  will  be  learned,  from  the  view  we  have  taken  of  an 
inefectual  ©position j  there  can  be  neither  here  nor  elsewhere,  an 
intentional  submision  to  that  criticism,  which,  if  not  deceved  thru 
incapacity  or  ignorance,  must  know  itself  to  be  grosly  at  fault. 
The  '  Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice,'  from  its  maner  of  ob- 
serving and  representing  nature,  does  not  owe  this  submision  to 
any  unavailing  atempt  to  condemn  it.  Yet  it  canot  avoid  com- 
iserating  that  deafnes,  and  indiference  in  high  places  which  thus 
far,  it  has  with  all  its  remedial  instruction,  uterly  failed  to  cure. 
Nor  do  I  mean  to  ofer  a  responsive  defense  of  the  facts  and  prin- 
ciples set-forth  in  this  'Philosophy:'  beleving,  that  under  an 
observant,  reflective,  and  candid  investigation,  they  wil,  by  the 
voice  of  others  in  unison  with  the  voice  of  Nature,  at  some  time 
truly  speak  for  themselves. 

As  a  necesary  part  of  this  record,  I  liave  unfortunately  been 
obliged,  under  some  prospective  views,  to  notice  unoticeable,  and 
to  me  happily,  unknown  individualities :  but  having  on  this  oca- 
sion  taken  a  nearer  view  of  the  ofense  than  of  the  ofenders,  I 
have,  with  generic  touches  only,  and -with  a  mitigated  reaction  on 
their  thotles  inroad,  been  careful  to  treat  them  as  many  now,  and 
more  hereafter  may  think,  with  greater  kindnes  than  their  cases 
deserve. 


Philadelphia,  May  6,  1859. 


PREFACE 


FOURTH    EDITION. 


A  COXCEIT  has  for  some  time  been  circulating  in  this  country, 
tending;  to  persuade  every  body,  that  Avliile  they  are  constitu- 
tionaly  the  sovereigns  over  their  own  destiny  in  government,  they 
are  also  sovereign  over  the  rights  of  individuality,  and  the  re- 
straints of  good-breeding,  morals,  and  law ;  with  the  further  claim 
to  tyrannize  over  independence  of  thot,  and  to  bind-down  the  fre- 
ranging  power  of  originality.  This  last  authority  asumes,  that 
originalit}',  with  its  Patents  of  discovery  and  invention,  often  with 
us,  so  cruely  involved  in  litigation,  canot  in  justice  be  the  privilege 
of  an  individual ;  that  whatever  aparent  novelty  a  person  may  pro- 
mulgate, it  is  only  as  the  spokesman  of  a  committe  of  the  whole 
human  mind,  which  has  previously  counseled,  matured,  and  directed, 
all  he  has  reported.  That  what  was  formerly  suposcd  to  be  the 
torch  of  discovery,  in  a  single  hand,  is,  in  this  popular  era  of 
equal  rights  and  Intclcct-in-Commonj  found  to  be  merely  a  break- 
ing-out, at  one  human  spot,  of  the  ful-prepared  and  anticipated 
light  of  a  colective  efort  in  progresive  instruction. 

This  may  indeed  be  true,  of  gradual  changes  in  the  comon 
afairs  of  life ;  and  of  politicians,  in  -whose  craft  there  is  now, 
nothing  new  under  the  sun ;  of  the  lawyer,  whose  slow  thinking 
by  the  law,  is  his  slow  law  of  thinking ;  of  the  physician,  whose 
rule  of  progres,  is  just  to  keej)  along  with  the  jirogrcs ;  of  the 
sectary,  whose  orthodoxy  means  the  comon-doxy  of  himself  and 
his  disciple ;  and  of  the  popular  Great  Man  of  the  day,  whose 

(xxvii) 


XXVlll  PREFACE   TO   THE 

endles  intimacies  so  identify  him  with  every  body,  that  his  con- 
cerns in  a  joint-stock  of  interest  and  ambition,  both  waste  hLs 
mind  with  reciprocal,  and  importunate  obligations,  and  take  from 
him  the  power  of  thinking  for  himself.  It  is  likewise  true  of 
governments,  which,  with  ocasional  comotions,  always  rise  or  fal 
by  gradual  change ;  and  of  some  of  the  arts,  particularly  Archi- 
tecture; for  tho  by  its  own  principles,  capable  of  any  number 
of  distinct  and  self-unitized  Orders,  yet  being  without  examplar 
forms  in  nature,  its  improvement  and  decline  have  been  no  more 
than  sucesive  variations  of  preceding  designs.  It  is  not  true 
however,  of  those  who  outstrip  the  world  by  unrestrained  obser- 
vation and  reflection ;  unawed  by  the  frowns  of  conventional 
authority,  and  far  away  as  possible,  from  the  mischievous  delu- 
sions of  the  opinions  of  men.  Since  the  '  idols  of  the  market, '  '  of 
the  theater,'  and  of  the  comon  mental-exchange,  are  idols,  deaf 
as  well  as  dumbj  and  altogether  so  impotent,  that  when  implored 
for  the  favor  of  original  thot,  are  always  implored  in  vain. 
Neither  is  it  true  of  that  elegant  Art  of  the  Landscape,  which 
with  its  'directing  wand'  transforms  to  a  Garden,  the  wildernes 
of  Nature ;  and  which  presented,  at  the  '  Improver's  word, '  an 
asemblage  of  the  grand,  the  beautiful,  the  varied,  and  the  pic- 
turesk ;  giving  to  England  the  claim  of  ading  to  the  '  Nine, ' 
another  Muse,  already  in  her  few  counted  years,  ful-endowed  with 
dignity  of  character  softened  into  grace ;  yet  never  hoped-for  nor 
expected,  because  never  foreseen. 

This  notion  of  co-equalityj  that  no  one  shall,  without  penalty 
for  the  ofense,  have  a  thot  not  common  to  every  body  elscj  is 
one  of  the  dreams  of  a  popular  '  mass-meeting;'  and  seems  to  be 
a  confused  atenipt  to  express  the  simple  truism,  that  no  in- 
vention or  discovery  is  adopted  by  the  world,  until  every  body 
can  make  use  of  it,  or  is  of  the  same  opinion  as  the  author.  For 
it  is  with  the  original  truth  of  Science,  as  with  the  prudential 
ofer  of  practical  advice;  nobody  adopts  it,  except  it  confirms  his 
previous  belief.  But  the  mass-moeting  is  stil  a  mass,  and  wil 
have  its  own  stuborn  and  headstrong  way.  The  Work  therefore, 
of  which  I  here  offer  the  fourth  edition  nuich  enlarged,  will  I  sup- 
ose  be  tried,  and  perhaps  condcnuied  by  its  rules.  If  the  united 
inteligence  of  the  age,  joining  imediatcly  in  the  advancement  of 


FOURTH    EDITIOX.  XXIX 

anv  jmint  of  knowletlgc,  is  to  be  the  test  of  its  truth,  upon  the 
asumal  jjround  that  the  mind  of  the  age  has,  up  to  the  htst  step, 
produced  the  advancement;  the  work  Iwfore  us  can  offer  scarcely 
a  chiim  to  atention.  And  I  have  no  pride  of  authoi-ship  to 
prevent  tlie  candid  declaration,  that  from  its  first  ajxiarance,  to 
this  time,  a  jwriwl  of  twenty-seven  years,  its  only  direct  debt  of 
gratitude  is  to  a  comparatively  smal  number  of  teachers,  some 
inquiring  and  musical  mechanics,  and  a  few  unmusical  members 
of  the  Society  of  Friends.  For,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  ninety- 
nine,  hundredths  of  all  Physiologists,  whose  purpose  it  is  to  de- 
scribe the  voice ;  of  Masters  of  coleges  and  schools,  who  teach 
the  art  of  reading ;  of  Elocutionists,  whose  materials  of  speech 
are  furnished  here ;  of  Naturalists,  who  thru  the  wide  range 
of  zoology,  might  take  an  interest  in  comparathe  Intonation ;  of 
the  Votary  of  the  fine  arts,  who  might  here  see  the  seventh  muse, 
now  crowned  by  Science;  of  the  Universal  Grammarian,  who 
might  learn  that  various  modes  of  mere  sylabic  sound  are  no 
less  naturaly  significant  of  thot  and  passion,  than  conventional 
words  are  significant  of  a  gramatical  sentence ;  and  finaly  of 
the  Philosopher  of  the  mind,  who  might  perceve  some  important 
and  interesting  relations  of  language  to  passion  and  thought :  Of 
these  I  repeat  it,  there  are  ninety-nine  hundredths,  so  far  from 
having  had  directly  a  preparatory  hand  in  this  work,  do  not,  after 
it  has  been  before  them  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  even  yet, 
as  to  its  systematic  and  practical  aplication,  appear  to  know  what  it 
means. 

Acording  to  this  popular  notion  of  mas-think tng  co-equality, 
and  co-laboration,  our  book  stands  in  a  dilema.  For  on  the  one 
side,  those  who  are  eminently  qualifie<l  to  discover  its  meaning, 
have  found  none.  Co-laboration  therefore  could  have  had  no 
hand  in  it ;  and  the  world,  on  this  ground,  not  being  now  pre- 
pared for  it,  certainly  never  can  be.  On  the  other  side,  if  the 
principle  of  co-laboration  is  not  always  true,  this  AWn'k  may  be 
founded  in  nature,  and  may  be  a  contribution  to  the  expresivc 
and  the  beautiful  in  speech  ;  even  tho  the  Ix'arned  world  was 
neither  prepared  for  its  reception,  or  even  able  to  comprehend  it 
when  it  came.  But  time  who  settles  so  many  diferenccs,  must 
determine  whether  the  co-laborative  ride  is  sometimes  false,  or  the 


XXX  PREFACE  TO  THE 

'Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice/  no  beter  than  a  dream.  All 
I  have  to  say  to  the  Votary  of  analytic  science  and  taste,  isj 
'Strike,  but'  reacl  me  ;  for  I  canot  help  think ingj  if  you  do  read 
without  prejudice,  tho  you  canot  take  back  the  contemptuous  blow, 
you  will  not  strike  again. 

It  has  been  more  than  once  said  to  me  personaly,  and  stated  in 
print,  that  the  '  Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice '  has  exhausted 
its  subject.  It  is  to  be  regreted,  with  regard  to  the  past  and  future 
in  Science,  to  which  we  should  always  look  with  thankfulnes  and 
hope,  that  it  has  ever  been  so  regarded ;  for  if  I  perceve  the 
future  in  this  Workj  it  has  but  just  begun  its  subject,  on  a  new 
and  lasting  foundation.  And  above  all,  it  shud  be  regretedj  if  the 
calculation,  that  nothing  more  can  be  made  out  of  it,  shud  be  even 
the  least  cause  for  overlooking  it.  On  the  contrary,  I  canot  here 
withhold  the  prediction,  that  when  taken  up  as  a  subject  of  further 
inquiry,  and  as  a  part  of  education,  its  inteligent  Profesors  will 
extend  and  exalt  it  to  a  degree,  I  canot  now  anticipate  or  compre- 
hend. I  would  wilingly  have  assisted  earlier  laborers  at  our  Avork, 
by  vocal  proof  and  ilustration ;  but  my  time  is  fast  going  by,  and 
when  they  do  enter  upon  the  field,  I  canot  be  there. 

The  history  of  one  of  the  fine  arts,  recently  revived  in  England, 
has  often  in  my  mind,  been  conected  with  our  present  subject ;  and 
as  I  have  folowed  in  reading,  the  progres  of  that  art,  from  the  time 
it  first  began  to  gather-in  its  facts,  and  frame  its  principles,  up  to 
its  present  mature  and  esthetic  conditionj  I  feign  at  least,  a  plea 
for  noticing  it  here. 

I  remember,  my  earliest  curiosity  for  Gothic  architecture  was 
excited  by  Scott's  poems ;  and  on  going  to  Scotland,  in  the  year 
eighteen  hundred  and  nine,  the  first  of  its  proper  structures  I  saw, 
was  the  Cathedral  of  Glasgow.  It  was  then  all  eye-sight  and 
novelty  with  mej  not  taste ;  yet  perhaps,  as  a  first  instinctive  step 
towards  it,  I  departed  with  an  unsatisfied  desire,  for  that  knowl- 
edge of  the  nomenclature  of  its  system  and  detail,  which  wud  have 
given  materials  to  my  memory,  with  some  order  and  co-relation  to 
my  thots.  I  did  ask  the  Old  Dame  who  conducted  me,  many  ques- 
tionsj  but  I  had  learned  more  from  the  3[indrel  and  3Iiinnion,  than 
she  ever  knew.  Medieval  studies  and  other  inquiries  ocu}>iod  me 
a  year  in  Edinburgh.     During  a  subsequent  residence  in  London, 


FOURTH    EDITION.  XXXI 

I  procured  the  small  volume  of  essays  by  Wharton  and  others ; 
and  Milner's  treatise,  together  with  his  History  of  AVinchester. 
By  means  of  their  chronicle  of  styles  and  changes  in  the  artj  by 
their  explanation  of  terms,  or  an  incidentjil  use  of  thenij  and  by 
the  light  of  taste,  just  dawning  in  the  pages  of  Milnerj  I  was 
enabled,  after  visiting  churches,  to  compile  for  my  own  private 
instruction,  and  as  my  own  remembrancer,  something  like  an  ele- 
mentary compend  :  including  a  description  of  the  structure  of  the 
cathedral ;  the  character  and  sucesions  of  its  various  styles  ;  an  ex- 
planation of  the  terms  of  the  art,  far  as  they  had  then  been  asigned ; 
and  an  acount  of  the  division,  distribution  and  purposes  of  the 
Monastery.  This  little  manuscript  is  dated  in  eighteen  hundred 
and  eleven,  and  however  trifling,  is  among  the  earliest,  as  I  am  in- 
formed, in  that  systematic  maner  of  treating  the  subject.  There 
was  then  neither  name  nor  fame  in  the  art ;  and  the  interest  in 
it,  was  confined  to  as  few  perhaps,  a.s  those  now  interested  in  the 
analysis  of  speech. 

On  revisiting  England  in  eighteen  hundred  and  forty-five, 
I  found  Gothic  Architecture  had  become  so  popular,  that  the 
amatur  and  compiler  had  begun  to  rival  the  profesional  artist. 
Every  gentleman  was  required  to  have  a  smatering  at  least,  of 
its  terms ;  and  many  a  rail-car  pasenger  was  ready  to  tell  you 
of  Norman,  Early  English,  Decorated,  and  Perpendicular  styles. 
My  sympathy  with  an  enthusiast,  at  the  Winchester  Station, 
made  quite  friends  of  us,  as  we  together  traced  the  Cathedral 
forms  and  chronology j  from  Walkelyn's  Norman  'arches  broad 
and  round, '  to  the  grand  and  graceful  unity  of  Wykeham ;  which 
seems  yet  to  say  to  the  artj  Thus  far  shuldst  thou  go  and  no 
farther,  and  here  shud  thy  pure  and  finished  style  be  staid. 

Perhaps  an  Englishman  might  sayj  this  sudcn  intimacy,  '  with- 
out knowing  who  people  are,'  even  tho  the  intimacy  sprung  from 
congenial  knowledge  in  an  elegant  artj  was  *  very  improper  indeed.' 
But  we  soon  parted,  and  forever ;  yet  I  beleve,  neither  has  since 
sufered  any  inconvenience  from  our  sociability,  while  I  very 
agreeably  receved  much  satisfactory  information. 

Regarding  then  the  restoration  of  Gothic  architecturej  may  we 
ask,  if  the  time  will  ever  come,  when  the  art  of  analytic  speech, 
now  the  humble  t<jpic  of  a  small  fraternity,  may  so  far  obtain  a 


XXXll  PREFACE  TO   THE   FOURTH   EDITION. 

hearing  from  the  world,  that  some  influential  patrons  will,  as 
hapened  with  that  once  o'er-shadowed  art,  draw  ours  too  from  ob- 
scurity ?  Will  the  time  ever  come,  when  our  School  of  Nature 
and  Inquiry  may  say,  and  it  will  be  admited,  that  Mrs.  Siddons 
derived  her  great  dignity  in  Tragedy,  from  a  well  directed  use  of 
the  Diatonic  Melody,  more  than  from  any  other  means  of  intona- 
tion ;  and  that  Barry,  in  characters  of  tendernes,  owed  his  supe- 
riority over  Garrick,  to  his  delicate  execution,  and  apropriate  use 
of  the  Semitonic  Wave  ?  Will  it  come,  when  on  the  authority  of 
our  principles,  it  will  be  beleved  if  I  say,  that  the  later  Booth, 
tho  rejected  or  undervalued,  perhaps  on  some  business  calculation, 
by  London  Managers,  yet  apart  from  the  ranting  scenes  of  the  poet, 
had  in  his  beter  days,  with  least  of  the  vocal  vices  of  the  stage, 
and  hardly  an  afectation,  one  of  the  most  elegant  and  apropriate 
intonations  I  have  ever  heard  ?  And  finally,  will  not  the  time 
come,  when  in  some  future  system  of  speech,  raised  upon  the 
foundation  here  laid  in  Observation  j  principles  may  take  tlie  place 
of  authority;  and  the  name  of  Master  being  no  more  bandied 
and  kept  up  by  contentious  opinion,  may  be  superseded  by  ac- 
knowledged precept,  and  then  be  forgoten  ? 


Philadelphia,  January  1,  1855. 


PREFACE 


THIRD   EDITION. 

The  'Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice'  was  first  published, 
nearly  eighteen  years  ago ;  and  as  the  lapse  of  time  has  aforded 
ample  oportunit}'  for  determining,  how  far  its  descriptions  acord 
with  the  phenomena  of  Nature,  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to 
the  reflective  student  of  elocution,  to  have  a  short  acount  of  its 
reception,  and  of  its  progres  within  this  period. 

Two  editions  have  been  published ;  one  of  five  hundred  copies, 
in  January,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-seven ;  the  other,  of 
twelve  hundred  and  fifty  copies,  in  June,  eighteen  hundred  and 
thirty-three.  And  altho  the  work  has  been  out  of  print  for  six 
years,  the  present  edition  is  not  perhaps  essential  to  its  preservation ; 
there  being  already  abroad,  print  enuf  to  furnish  a  revival-copy, 
when  the  humor  of  those  who  hold  the  great  seals  of  patronage, 
may  choose  to  give  it  a  place  in  their  encyclopedia  of  knowledge, 
and  their  schools  of  practical  instruction.  It  is  rather  at  the  call, 
and  for  the  sake  of  those  few  friendly  Samaritans,  who  are  dis- 
posed to  take  charge  of  it,  while  the  Priest  and  the  Levite  of 
learning  pass  along  on  the  other  side,  that  I  have  with  some 
inconvenience  at  this  time,  undertaken  to  republish  it. 

The  amount  of  good-^vill  thus  far  extended  to  the  Work,  may 
scarcely  deserve  the  name  of  jiatronage ;  but  it  is  rather  more 
than  was  expecte<l,  and  will  perhaps  be  suficient  to  keep  it  from 
oblivion.  Upwards  of  twenty  individuals  with  various  qualifica- 
tions, have  been  ocupied  in  teaching  some  of  its  principles;  the 

(xxxiii) 


XXXIV  PREFACE   TO   THE 

greater  part  of  whom  have  lived  in  the  Northern  section  of  the 
United  States ;  at  the  Southj  and  West  of  the  Susquehanna,  it  is 
little  known.  All  the  individuals  aluded  to,  have  respectively 
taut  the  Work,  with  a  ful,  or  a  limited  comprehension  of  it,  and 
a  varied  ability  to  aply  it  in  practice.  Some  have  been  resident, 
others  traveling  teachers ;  the  later  giving  lectures,  or  temporary 
school-instruction,  in  towns  and  vilages.  It  may  well  be  suposed, 
that  teaching  a  system  uninviting  at  least,  if  not  repulsive  from  its 
novelty,  would  be  no  very  profitable  labor;  and  such  apears  to 
have  been  the  case,  with  those  who  have  been  ocupied  m  its  pro- 
mulgation. 

As  this  Work  profeses  to  set  forth  the  universal  principles  of 
speech,  the  subject  at  least,  is  not  beneath  the  notice  of  the  phi- 
lologist of  any  age  or  nation.  But  as  regards  its  foreign  relation- 
ships, the  '  Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice '  has  been  obliged  to 
come  under  that  English  interogative  condemnation j  '  Who  reads 
an  American  book  ? ' 

To  the  scientific,  in  two  or  three  parts  of  Europe,  it  is  known 
by  an  ocasional  whisper,  that  such  a  book  exists.  Two  indi- 
viduals, Dr.  Barber,  and  the  Reverend  Samuel  Wood,  have  been 
the  first  to  speak  aloud  of  it  in  England ;  but  vnth  what  succes, 
I  am  not  informed.  It  remains  all-dusty,  on  the  shelves  of  many 
of  the  Public  libraries  of  Europe ;  and  is  in  the  poses  ion  of  some 
of  those  who  give  fashion  to  the  science  of  the  times.  Yet  it  has 
never  receved  a  strictly  investigating  notice ;  no  examination  by  a 
qualified  and  authoritative  ear,  which  niit  decide,  whether  what 
LS  here  ofered  as  the  truth  of  Nature,  is  or  is  not,  that  very  truth. 
And,  as  in  preparing  the  Work  for  others,  the  Author  was,  by 
circumstances,  the  solitary  pupil  of  his  own  instructionj  so  witli 
hope-defered,  to  corect  its  faults  by  the  aid  of  competent  counsel, 
he  has  been  obliged,  in  the  enlargement,  and  variations  of  each 
sucesive  edition,  to  be  his  own  contributor ;  and  to  asume  the  oficc 
of  an  insuficient,  and  perhaps  partial  critic  over  himself. 

The  greater  number  of  the  pupils  and  friends  of  this  system, 
have  been  of  that  clas,  which  the  Rank  and  Fashion  of  Science 
cals  the  humble  and  Unknown ;  Persons  of  no  acount ;  yet  long 
noted,  for  sometimes  doing  new  and  most  excelent  things,  and  for 
very  frequently,  first  helping  them  along. 


THIRD    EDITION.  XXXV 

Of  the  infinitude  of  demagogues  in  our  country,  from  the  Can- 
didate for  Presidency,  down  to  him  who  works  the  plot  of  Nomi- 
nation, and  wlio  all,  in  one  debasing  brotherhood  but  with  a  varied 
pei-s<»nality,  are  at  the  same  time,  corupting  their  voices,  their  in- 
telect,  their  moral  principles,  and  their  republican  governmentj  of 
all  these,  I  have  not  heard  of  one,  who  has  had  time  or  rejwse 
enuf  to  inquire,  even  whether  this  system  mit  not,  if  so  il-used 
alas !  imbue  his  Speeches  with  a  more  impresive  sophistry,  and 
graceful  vocal-cuning,  to  alure,  to  blind,  and  to  mislead  the  people. 

Of  the  many  Actors  whom  I  have  known  or  heard  of,  none 
seem  to  have  thot  of  such  a  thing  as  a  philosophy  of  the  voice ; 
or  that  the  department  of  speech  which  this  Book  particularly  re- 
gards, requires  the  improving  aid  of  science ;  or,  that  succes  in  their 
art  can  be  otherwise  efected  than  by  some  mysterious  '  power  of 
genius.'  One  individual,  after  having  left  the  Stage,  has  formed  an 
asociatiou  in  Boston,  for  teaching  the  principles  of  this  philosophy. 

Here  and  there,  a  young  LaA\yer,  M'ith  that  generality  of  mental 
temperament  and  inkling  of  taste,  which  in  this  country  at  least, 
is  rather  a  drawback  to  advancement  in  his  Profession,  has  looked 
into  this  subject,  tried  a  few  lesons,  and  then  abandoned  his  purpose. 

The  Clergy  were  among  the  first  to  regard  the  system  with 
favor ;  and  many  had  industry  enuf  to  look  into  it. 

I  have  known  one  physician  only,  who  comprehended  the  de- 
sign, and  studied  its  details;  but  he  is  deceased.  Why  it  has 
found  no  favor  with  the  Medical  Faculty,  merely  as  a  subject  of 
physiology,  is  perhaps  to  be  solved  by  these  facts  :  it  is  strictly 
observative ;  it  rejects  all  notions,  and  quarelsome  theories ;  has 
not  yet  come  into  popular  use ;  and  is  the  contribution,  such  as  it 
is,  of  a  physician. 

Musicians  and  singers,  together  with  certain  amaturs  and  critics, 
who  constantly  hover  about  them,  have  given  no  atention  to  this 
subject.  Of  a  large  number  of  these,  I  have  found  none  able  to 
apreciate  our  history,  or  to  conceve  how  speech  and  music  might 
be  different  branches  of  the  same  art.  To  this  I  may  add  the  re- 
markal)le  circumstance,  that  while  nmsicians  and  singcrsj  who  have 
by  hai>itual  practice  if  not  by  instinctive  ear,  the  most  precise  dis- 
crimination of  tunable  sounds;  are  unable  to  recognize  the  peculiar 
music  of  speech,  and  even  to  comprehend  the  meaning  of  this 


XXXVl  PREFACE   TO   THE 

Workj  there  is  a  clasj  the  Society  of  Friends,  who,  by  the  strictest 
discipline,  shun  all  the  graces  of  Art ;  who  never  cultivate  the  ear 
either  by  instrument  or  voice,  but  fantasticaly  corupt  it  in  their 
public  discourse;  Avho  yet,  Avhen  adressed  by  the  system,  have 
formed  a  large  proportion  of  its  pupils,  and  have  comprehended 
its  design,  tho  they  may  not  have  always  been  able,  vocaly  to 
execute  its  rules, 

A  few  teachers  of  Salmody  apear  to  have  read  the  Work ;  and 
far  as  they  have  found  its  discriminations  and  terms  aplicable  to 
their  purpose,  have  adopted  them  in  their  Manuals  of  instruction. 

Of  readers  who  hold  the  scientific  influence,  whatever  that  may 
be,  of  this  country,  very  few  have  regarded  it  either  with  curiosity 
or  favor.  But  what  makes  their  case  remarkable  is,  that  in  their 
own  want  of  capacity,  they  always  supose  the  deficiency  to  be  on 
the  side  of  the  Author.  One  says,  it  is  a  sealed  book ;  another, 
that  it  might  as  well  have  been  written  in  Hebrew.  An  eminent 
leader  of  opinion,  on  this  side  of  the  water,  says,  it  is  not  worth 
reviewing :  while  on  the  other  side,  one  of  the  very  highest  rank, 
in  British  periodical  criticism,  declares,  in  the  frank  confesion  of 
an  inefable  superiority,  that  *  it  quite  surpases  his  comprehension.' 
One,  not  contented  with  his  own  single  incompetence,  takes  the 
Author  into  his  company,  by  saying j  he  himself  does  not  know 
his  own  meaning ;  and  to  a  high-placed  medical  Professor,  and  a 
practical  musician,  the  work  was  altogether  so  uninteligible,  that 
he  recomended  one  of  his  friends  to  read  it,  as  a  fine  example  of 
the  incoherent  language  of  insanity. 

These  remarks  have  a  place  here,  not  from  their  importance 
either  to  the  author  *or  his  subject;  but  as  minor  chronicles, 
colateral  to  the  early  history  of  the  Philosophy  of  Speech.  And 
I  am  quite  wiling  to  beleve,  that  whether  they  came  from  igno- 
rance or  from  spleen,  they  were  the  ofspring  of  an  idle  humor,  by 
this  time,  changed  to  something  else  equally  foolish  or  bad.  These 
however  may  have  been  words  of  a  moment,  and  then  forgoten. 
Two,  and  only  two,  far  as  known,  have  employed  time,  reflection, 
argument,  public  lecturing  and  printing,  in  dispute  of  the  claims 
of  this  Work. 

Under  the  article.  Philology,  in  the  'Encyclopedia  Americana,' 
the  translation  of  a  German  essay,  the  President  of  the  American 


THIRD    EDITION.  XXXVU 

Philosopliical  Society,  after  stating,  as  ^vell  as  lie  coukl  compre- 
hend it,  the  design  of  the  'Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice,' 
gives,  ^vllat  he  thinks,  learned  and  suficient  ground  for  determin- 
ing, not  only  that  it  has  not,  acording  to  its  purpose,  developed 
and  measured  the  expresive  movements  of  speech  ;  but  that  it  never 
can  be  clone.  Xot  to  contend  here  -with  a  gentleman,  who,  at  the 
head  of  all  the  philosophers,  denies,  what  I  perhaps  vainly  supose 
to  have  been  acomplishetlj  I  must  hand  him  over  to  the  unknown 
science  and  industry  of  future  ages,  to  argue  the  case  of  its  future 
imposibility  ;  only  remarking  here,  that  as  it  has  been  done  already, 
in  the  Work,  now  in  the  distinguished  President's  hands,  there 
can  be  nothing  either  imposible  or  miraculous  in  its  being  done 
again. 

The  other  formal  decision  against  the  means  and  end  of  this 
"Work,  comes,  as  I  am  told,  from  one  of  the  thousand  lecturers  of 
the  day,  at  Bostonj  whose  name  I  cannot  now  call  to  mind.  All 
I  have  to  say  of  his  attempt  at  refutation,  having  never  seen  the 
article,  is,  that  in  addition  to  the  direct  demonstration  of  the  truth 
of  the  analysis,  which  the  ear  has  given  to  some  few  inquirers,  he 
has  unexpectedly  furnished  us  with  that  indirect  proof,  caled  by 
logicians,  the  argumentum  ducens  in  absurdum :  meaning  in  plain 
Englishj  the  proposition  must  be  true,  M'hen  we  cannot  without 
absurdity,  prove  it  to  be  false. 

I  have  a  few  words  to  add,  on  the  subject  of  adapting  the  prin- 
ciples of  this  Work  to  the  purposes  of  practical  instruction. 
Seven  or  eight  gramai's  or  text-books  of  elocution,  for  the  use 
of  schools,  have  already  been  formed  out  of  a  different  amount 
of  its  materials,  and  set  forth  with  various  degrees  of  ability.  As 
the  object  is  to  render  a  gramar  popular,  it  has  been  the  aim  of 
the  compilers  to  simplify  the  system,  and  to  furnish  a  cheap  book ; 
by  accomodating  it  as  they  sujiose,  to  the  mental,  and  other  necesi- 
ties  of  the  learner.  This  atempt,  either  by  its  very  purpose,  or  by 
the  mancr  of  its  execution,  has  i)erhaps  had  the  efect  to  retiird  the 
progres  of  the  new  system  of  the  voice.  For,  the  superficial  char- 
acter of  these  books,  and  mingling  })arts  of  the  old  method  with 
parts  of  the  new,  together  with  an  atempt  to  give  definiti<jn  and 
order  to  these  scatered  materials,  has  left  the  inquirer  unsatisfied, 
if  indeed,  it  has  not  ])rou":ht  his  mind  to  confusion.     One  of  the 


XXXVlll  PREFACE   TO  THE 

difficulties  of  introducing  new  subjects  of  education  is,  that  you 
give  the  scholar,  as  he  thinks,  too  much  to  do.  But  in  the  condi- 
tion of  all  such  cases,  he  must  learn  the  whole  of  the  new,  or  he 
learns  comparatively  nothing.  The  method  of  teaching  by  epit- 
ome, and  by  sketch,  if  not  always  imperfect  or  useless,  is  barely 
alowable  when  a  general  knowledge  of  the  subject  prevails,  when 
hints  go  a  great  way,  and  expositors  are  found  every  where.  I  pub- 
lished this  Work,  under  the  expectation  that  it  might  for  a  time, 
be  consigned  to  oblivion :  hoping  however,  that  if  afterwards,  a 
single  worm-eaten  copy  should  be  recovered,  with  nature  only  for 
its  ilustration,  a  knowledge  of  its  analysis  and  purpose  might  be 
revived,  without  the  living  assistance  of  the  Author.  I  wrote  it 
too,  with  all  the  brevity  its  strangenes  would  alow ;  and  as  well  as 
I  can  foresee,  with  suficient  fulnes,  to  make  it  inteligible  to  ear- 
nest and  competent  inquirers.  Indeed  master  as  I  may  be  of  the 
whole  indispensable  contents,  it  wud  be  a  hard  task  to  usefully 
abreviate  it,  and  utterly  impossible  to  make  it  didactic  in  the  space 
of  their  meager  and  garbled  compilations ;  but  each  com})iler  thinks 
he  has  a  sagacious  power  of  clear  condensation.  Within  these  limits 
of  composition,  it  was  my  design  so  to  describe  the  system  and  uses 
of  the  voice,  that  they  might  be  audibly  ilusti-ated  for  the  benefit  of 
the  scholar;  not  to  furnish  materials,  to  be  broken  up,  curtailed, 
jumbled  into  a  text-book,  and  printed  for  the  pecuniary  benefit  of 
a  master.  The  purpose,  seemed  to  need  an  apology ;  and  it  is 
usually  offered,  under  the  consideration  of  the  reduced  cost  of  an 
abridgment,  compared  with  that  of  a  larger  volume.  But  when 
was  cheiip  knowledge,  more  than  cheap  work,  ever  worth  even  half 
of  what  was  given  for  it?  And  generally  speaking,  if  a  sucesion 
of  cheap,  puny,  and  insuficient  books,  in  most  branches  of  educa- 
tion, did  not  everlastingly  invite  and  delude  the  public,  there  wud 
be  purchasers  enuf,  of  Avhat  are  now  more  expensive,  and  more 
useful  works,  to  reduce  them  to  a  convenient  cost.  An  unfortu- 
nate result  of  these  suposed  short-hand  assistants  to  ignorance, 
takuig  the  place  of  full  and  clear  dcs(Ti{)ti()n,  is  that  each  compiler 
has  a  special  interest  in  his  own  little  book,  to  \\\c  exclusion  of 
others  of  the  same  kind.  And  this  produces,  as  I  have  witncsed, 
jealousies,  and  not  a  little  back-biting  criticism,  among  these  several 
competitors  for  popular  favor..     One  is  said  to  have  made  an  odd 


THIRD    EDITION.  XXXIX 

asemblage  of  the  old  indefinite  system,  with  the  new.  One  to 
have  <;iven  too  litle  musical  explanation;  another  too  much.  This 
one's  urangement  is  confused ;  another's  is  no  beter ;  and  a  third 
has  no  arangement  at  all.  One,  in  a  desire  to  be  popular,  fcjrgets 
to  be  descriptive.  One  is  charged  with  slily  taking  his  materials, 
without  acknowlcilgment ;  another,  with  lK)ldly  palming  them  off 
as  his  own.  Another,  suposing  himself  to  have  become  original, 
by  a  long  habit  of  copyingj  receves,  or  perhaps  feigns,  and  pub- 
lishes compliments  to  himself,  on  his  philosophical  analysis,  and 
on  his  new  system  of  elocution. 

This  is  what  these  discordant  Elocutionists,  while  drawing  from 
a  comon  source,  many  with  and  some  without  acknowledgment, 
so  critictdy  say  of  each  other ;  he  who  makes  the  last  book,  being 
most  obnoxious  to  the  rest,  by  complaining  befoi'c  their  face,  of 
the  want  of  a  right  kind  of  manual,  which  he  invidiously  under- 
takes to  supply. 

One  of  the  purposes  of  this  \Vork  is  to  showj  by  refuting  an 
almost  universal  belief  to  the  contrary^  that  elocution  can  be 
scientificiily  tat ;  but  the  maner  of  explanation  and  arangement  in 
too  many  of  these  garbled  school-book  compilations,  has  gone  far 
towards  satisfying  the  objectors  that  it  cannot. 

I  make  these  remarks,  with  a  disposition  to  advance  an  art,  in 
which  the  persons  here  refered  to,  have  joined  the  distracting  and 
questionable  interest  of  publishing,  with  the  ocupation  of  ilus- 
trative  teaching.  If  the  time  had  arrived,  for  the  friends  or 
oponents  of  the  system  to  become,  by  the  habit  of  close  and 
comprehensive  investigation,  authoritative  and  responsible  critics, 
I  would  sit  down  with  them,  and  together  expunge  all  the  erors 
of  the  '  Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice ; '  and  perccve,  with  sat- 
isfaction, all  its  omisions  suj)lied.  I  never  myself  looked  for,  nor 
expected,  nor  have  I  received,  the  least  pecuniary  benefit  from  this 
Work  :  and  it  ot  to  be  regreted,  if  those  who  have  that  sort  of  gjiin 
in  view,  should,  by  their  haste,  or  insuficiency,  or  their  diferences 
among  one  another,  mar  the  purpose  and  progres  of  that  Art,  in 
which,  JUS  a  subject  of  knowledge  and  tiistc,  all  of  us  shud  be 
equaly  interested. 

Philadelphiii,  Dejcmber  2,  184t. 


PREFACE 


SECOND    EDITION. 


—-«•©« 


!MoRE  than  six  years  ago,  I  ofered  the  manuscript  of  the  fol- 
owing  Work,  to  tlie  then  principal  bookseler  of  this  city.  En- 
gagements which  promised  to  be  more  lucrative  obliged  him  to 
decline  the  publication.  The  result  has  shown,  that  with  his  in- 
strumentalities of  trade  he  mit  have  made  a  profitable  sale  of  itj 
as,  with  my  motives  in  authorship,  I  would  have  freely  given  the 
whole  right  of  the  edition  to  him.  I  made  elsewhere,  no  second 
ofer  of  the  Work ;  for  as  it  had  been  rejected  by  the  so-ailed 
foremost  PublLshing-Patron  of  American  writers,  I  deprecated  the 
influence  of  his  example  against  it.  Thus  the  first  step  of  my 
authorship  was  unfortunate  ;  and  as  in  these  days  of  anxious  be- 
nevolence, a  very  few  misfortunes  are  sure  to  bringdown  con  tempt  j 
to  save  further  ill  luck,  I  printe<l  it  myself;  and  subsequently  found 
an  individual  not  unwilling  to  interest  himself  in  distributing  it. 

I  remember,  one  of  the  Patron's  objections,  in  the  prophecy  of 
Tratle,  to  publishing  the  'Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice'  wasj 
'  its  not  being  suited  to  this  country.'  It  is  true,  the  higher  views 
of  science  and  taste,  and  all  individual  indej)endcnce  of  observa- 
tion and  thOtj  in  a  country,  where,  before  all  others,  nothing  is 
adopted,  or  is  succsful,  except  with  the  influential  agency  of  num- 
bersj  are  considered  as  rel>ellion  agjiinst  the  Kingly-rule  of  Po})- 
ularity,  and  the  Majorative-Despotism  of  its  opinion.  Yet  upon 
this  very  conviction  I  ofered  the  Work  to  the  public ;  ho))ing,  by 
the  difusion  of  its  principles,  to  bring  it  into  that  old  and  only 
4  (xli) 


xlii  PREFACE   TO   THE 

j)ath  of  truth,  which  begins  witli  a  few  and  ends  with  the  many ; 
and,  in  due  season,  to  suit  the  country  to  it. 

With  here  and  there  an  exception,  the  scofers  at  this  Work  have 
been  those  eternal  enemies  to  all  disturbing  originality,  the  Place- 
men of  Learning.  Suposing  however  that,  thro  the  influence  of 
knowledge  made  light  and  popular  and  cheap,  the  Arts  are  not  so 
far  downward,  as  to  create  desjDair  of  sucesful  eforts  by  a  new  one, 
before  their  entire  decay  and  future  revival ;  I  would  say  to  many 
of  those  who  hold  the  places  and  draw  the  profits  of  science,  that 
if  they  will  but  continue  to  sheath  their  opposition  in  their  feigned 
contempt,  the  first  humble  advocates  of  this  Work  may,  by  a  grad- 
ual rise  to  those  places  and  profits,  see  their  own  enlarged  designs 
of  instruction,  in  the  course  of  half  a  century,  completed. 

Several  teachers  in  the  United  States  have  adopted  the  system. 
Dr.  Barber,  an  English  physician  who  had  devoted  himself  to  the 
study  of  elocution,  and  who  came  to  Philadelphia  about  the  period 
of  its  publicationj  was  the  first  to  admit  its  principles,  and  to 
defend  them  against  the  double  influence  of  doubt  and  sneer,  by 
an  explanatory  and  ilustrative  course  of  lectures.*  Yale  College, 
at  New  Haven,  was  early  favorable  to  the  system.  But  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge,  by  apointing  Dr.  Barber  to  its  department 
of  Elocution,  was  the  first  chartered  institution  of  science  in  this 
country  that  gave  an  influential  and  responsible  aprobation  of  the 
Work. 

As  this  system  furnishes  general  principles  for  an  x\rt,  hereto- 
fore directed  by  individual  instinct  or  capricej  all  who  would 
teach  that  art  by  principles  founded  in  nature,  must  sooner  or 
later  adopt  it.  AVill  the  influential  instructors  of  Philadelphia  be 
the  last? 

•The  objections  first  made  to  the  '  Philosophy  of  the  Human 
Voice,'  were  against  its  utility  ;  now  the  cry  among  the  Learned  is; 
it  is  too  dificult.  Too  difficult !  Why,  all  new  things  are  diffi- 
cult ;  and  if  the  scholastic  j)retendcr  knows  not  this,  let  the  annals 
of  the  Trades  instruct  him.  Just  one  w^ntury  has  elai)8al  since 
that  comon  material  of  furniture.  Mahogany,  was  first  knoA\ii  in 

*  Throo  years  after  tho  date  of  the  '  Philosophy,'  Dr.  Barber  published  at 
New  Haven,  'a  Gramar  of  Eloeution'  founded  on  that  Work,  as  a  Text-book 
to  his  oral  instructions. 


SE(X)ND   EDITION.  xllU 

England.  It  is  recorded  that  Dr.  Gibbons,  an  eminent  physician 
of  that  period,  had  a  brother,  a  West-India  captain,  who  took 
over  to  London  some  planks  of  this  wood,  as  balast.  The  Doctor 
was  then  building  a  house ;  and  his  brother  thot  they  might  be  of 
sers'ice  to  him.  But  the  carpenters  finding  the  wood  too  hard  for 
their  tools,  it  was  laid  aside.  Soon  after,  a  candle-box  being  wanted 
in  his  family.  Dr.  Gibbons  requested  his  cabinet-maker  to  use  some 
of  this  plank  which  lay  in  his  garden.  The  cabinet-maker  also 
complained,  that  it  was  too  hard.  The  Doctor  told  hinij  he  must 
get  stronger  tools.  AVhen  however  by  sucesful  means,  the  box  was 
made,  the  Doctor  ordered  a  bureau  of  the  same  material ;  the  color 
and  polish  of  which  were  so  remarkable,  that  he  invited  his  friends 
to  view  it.  Among  them,  was  the  Duches  of  Buckingham,  who 
being  struck  with  its  beauty,  obtained  some  of  the  wood  ;  and  a  like 
piece  of  furniture  was  imediately  made  for  Her  Grace.  Under 
this  influence,  the  fame  of  mahogany  was  at  once  established ;  its 
manufacture  was  then  found  to  be  in  nowise  dificult ;  and  its  em- 
ployment for  both  use  and  ornament  has  since  become  universal. 

The  master-buildei's  of  science,  literature,  and  eloquence,  declared 
the  'Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice'  to  be  too  hard  for  their  stu- 
dious energies;  and  threw  it  aside  as  useless.  But  a  few  humble 
Cabinet-makers  of  learning  having  somehow  or  other,  got  stronger 
tools,  have  already  made  the  box  ;  are  under  way  with  the  bureau  ; 
and  are  only  waiting  for  the  authoritative  influence  of  some  leader 
of  oratorical  fashion,  to  produce  a  general  belief  in  this  simple 
truismj  if  we  wish  to  read  well,  we  must  first  learn 

HOW. 


Philadelphia,  June  26,  1833. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  analysis  of  the  human  voice  contained  in  the  following 
essay,  was  undertaken  a  few  years  ago,  exclusively  as  a  subject  of 
physiological  inquiry.  Upon  ascertaining  some  interesting  facts, 
in  the  uses  of  speech,  I  was  induced  to  pursue  the  'investigation ; 
and  subsequently  atempt  a  methodical  description  of  the  various 
vocal  phenomena^  thereby  to  include  the  subject  within  the  limits 
of  science,  and  assist  the  purposes  of  oratorical  instruction. 

By  every  scheme  of  the  cyclopedia,  the  subject  of  the  voice  is- 
alotted  to  the  physiologist ;  yet  upon  its  most  important  functionj 
speech  and  its  expresion,  he  has  strangely  neglected  his  part  by 
borowing  much  of  his  suposed  knowledge  from  the  wild  notions 
of  rhetoricians,  and  the  intermedling  authority  of  gramarians.  It 
is  time  at  last,  for  physiology  seriously  to  take  up  its  task,* 

*  In  the  fifth  edition  of  this  Work,  I  submited  to  the  Reader,  the  first  im- 
printing, and  practical  use  of  a  Double  Coma,  as  a  symbol  of  Punctuation. 
The  want  of  a  point,  for  a  significant  pause  between  that  of  a  coma  and  a  semi- 
colon, must  have  been  perceved  by  exact  and  thotful  writers,  in  descriptive' 
and  explanatory  composition.  For  brevity,  and  easy  rythmus  in  enumerating, 
the  points,  it  may,  from  the  Greek  6lc,  tioice,  be  called  Dicoma,  The  principal, 
purposes  for  which  I  employ  it  arcj  First ;  as  prefatory  to  an  ilustrative  in- 
stance ;  or  a  question,  or  the  statement  of  a  question  ;  or  a  condition  ;  to  indi- 
cate by  the  symbol,  some  notable  meaning,  shud  the  mind  for  the  moment 
askj  what  is  to  follow.  Second;  for  cases  when  the  gramar  is  prone  to  run. 
on,  and  perspicuitj'  requires  a  special  suspension j  beyond  a  point  of  longer 
rest  than  that  of  the  coma.  Third ;  for  subdivided  short  or  long  periodic  sen- 
tencesj  with  or  without  other  pointsj  to  chock  the  haste  of  gramatical  partsj 
if  disposed  to  run  together;  thereby  drawing  atention  to  the  individuality  of 
members^  to  releve  the  whole  from  intricacy.  Fourth;  to  bound  parenthetic 
clauses,  and  in  taking  the  place  of  the  Dash  j  which  is  always  a  formles  linear 
blemish  on  the  compact  ncatnes  of  printj  to  cary  over  the  meaning  and  gramar^ 
thro  the  space  between  the  pau.ses.  Fifth;  as  a  direction  to  a  fulowing  jirop- 
osition  ;  showing;  the  punctuativc  means  for  suplying  the  j)lacc  of  the  demon- 
strative thai,  when  this  pronoun  precedes  the  word,  there,  or  this,  or  they,  or 

(45) 


46  INTRODUCTION. 

In  entering  on  this  inquiry,  I  resolved  to  have  no  reference  to 
former  writersj  until  the  habit  of  discriminating  the  facts  of  the 
voice  should  be  so  far  confirmed,  as  to  obviate  the  danger  of  adopt- 
ing unquestioned  erors,  which  the  strongest  efort  of  independence 
often  finds  it  so  dificult  to  avoid.  Even  a  faint  recolection  of 
school  instruction  was  not  without  its  forbiding  interference,  in  my 
first  atempt  to  discover,  by  the  ear  alone,  the  hidden  proceses  of 
speech. 

After  obtaining  an  outline  of  the  work  of  Nature  in  the  voice, 
suficient  to  enable  me  to  avail  myself  of  the  useful  truth  of  other 
observers,  and  to  guard  against  their  mistakesj  I  consulted  every 
acessible  treatise  on  the  subject,  particularly  the  European  com- 
pilations of  the  day,  the  authors  of  which  have  oportunities  for 
learned  research,  not  enjoyed  in  this  country.  Finding,  on  a  fair 
comparison^  the  folowing  description  of  the  voice  represents  its 
phenomena  more  exteasively  and  definitely  than  any  known  sys- 
tem, I  was  induced  to  give  it  the  durable  form  of  Print.  Many 
erors  may  be  found  in  it ;  but  if  the  general  history,  and  the  ana- 
lytic development  are  not  drawn  from  nature,  and  do  not  prompt 
others  to  cary  the  inquiry  further,  and  into  practical  detail,  I 
shall  much  regret  the  time  wasted  in  the  publication. 

It  becomes  me  however,  to  remark,  that  as  the  greater  part  of 
this  Work  has  not  been  made-up  from  the  quoted,  or  controverted, 
or  accomodated  opinions  of  authors,  I  shall  totally  disregard  any 
decision  upon  its  merits,  that  is  not  the  result  of  a  scrutinizing 
comparison  of  its  descriptions,  with  the  j)henomena  of  Nature 
herself. 

The  art  of  speaking- well,  has  in  most  civilized  countries  been 

their,  or  itself  repeated,  or  any  other  word  of  striking  similarity  in  sound, 
which  might  ofend  the  ear.  Sixth  ;  to  separate,  without  aresting  tlie  bearing 
of  the  verb,  a  sucesion  of  members^  as  objects  of  a  previous  action^  or  as  the 
agents  of  a  prospective  efectj  which  may  mentaly  indicate  a  less  pause  than  a 
semicolon,  and  greater  than  a  coma  between  tliem.  Seventh  ;  the  aplication 
of  this  point,  under  some  of  the  preceding  heads,  is  so  indeterminate  that  the 
coma,  not  the  semicolon,  may  be  used  with  its  meaning. 

All  these  cases  and  perhaps  more,  are  exemplified  throhout  this  Volume. 
iBut  punctuation  partakes  in  a  degree,  of  the  whiins  of  the  human  mind;  and 
'On  this  subject  rc;iders  and  writers  will  in  many  j)articulars,  have  cacli  a  whim 
of  his  own.  Shud  however,  this  now  point  be  considered  worthy  of  adoption, 
others  may  give  more  precise  rules  for  its  aplication. 


\  INTRODUCTION.  47 

fv  cliorisliwl  mark  of  tlistinction  between  the  elevated  and  the 
Inimble  conditions  of  life ;  and  has  been  imediately  coneeted 
with  some  of  the  greater  pnrposes  of  justice,  religion,  instruc- 
tion, and  taste.  It  may  therefore  apear  extraordinary,  that  the 
Avorld,  with  all  its  works  of  philosophy,  should  have  been  satisfied 
by  an  instinctive  exercise  of  the  art,  and  by  ocasional  examples 
of  its  suposed  perfectionj  without  an  endeavor  to  found  an  ana- 
lytic system  of  instruction,  productive  of  multiplied  instances 
of  succes.  Due  reflection  however,  will  convince  us,  that  even 
this  extended  purpose  of  the  art  of  spciiking  has  been  one  cause 
of  the  neglect.  It  has  been  a  popular  art ;  and  works  for  present 
})opularity  are  too  often  the  comonplace  product  of  a  comon- 
place  ambition.  The  renowned  of  the  bar,  the  senate,  the  pulpit, 
and  the  stage,  aplauded  into  self-confidence  by  the  undiscerning 
multittide,  canot  acknowledge  the  necesity  of  improvement ;  for 
the  rewards  that  await  the  art  of  gratifying  the  general  ear,  are 
in  no  less  a  degree  encouraging  to  the  faults  of  the  voicx^,  than 
the  aprobation  of  the  milion  is  subversive  of  the  rigid  discipline 
of  the  mind. 

Physiologists  have  described  and  clased  the  organic  positions 
that  produce  the  alphabetic  elements.  This  has  been  done  by 
the  rule,  and  with  the  succes  of  philosophy.  On  other  points 
their  atempts  have  not  been  so  satisfactory.  In  describing  the 
function  of  Pitch,  or  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  voice,  which  we  here 
call  Intonation,  they  have  not  designated  by  some  known  or  in- 
vented scale,  the  forms  and  degrees  of  such  movements;  and 
furnished  the  required  and  definite  detail  in  this  department  of 
speech.  They  have  rather  given  their  atention  to  the  folowing 
inquiries :  Whether  the  organs  of  the  voice  have  the  structure  of 
a  wind,  or  of  a  stringed  instrument;  how  the  falsete  is  madej  and 
whether  acutenes  and  gravity  arc  formed  by  variations  in  the 
aperture  of  the  glotis,  or  in  the  tension  of  its  chords.  In  their 
experiments,  they  removed  the  orginis  from  men  and  other  ani- 
mals, and  produced  something  like  a  living  voice,  by  artificialy 
blowing  through  them.  They  ciirefuly  inspected  th(!  cartilages 
and  muscles  of  the  larynx,  to  discx)ver  thereby  the  imcdiate 
cause  of  intonation,  yet  altogether  overlooked  the  audible  forms 
and  degrees  of  that  intonation.     In  short,  they  tried  to  sec  sound. 


48  INTEODUCTION. 

and  to  touch  it  with  the  disecting-knife ;  and  all  this,  without 
reaching  any  positive  conclusion,  or  describing  more  of  the  audible 
eject  of  the  anatomical  structure,  than  was  known  two  thoasand 
years  ago. 

The  Greek  and  Roman  rhetoricians,  and  imters  on  music, 
recorded  their  knowledge  of  the  fimctions  of  the  voice.  They 
distinguished  its  diferent  Kinds,  by  the  termsj  harsh,  smooth, 
sharp,  clear,  hoarse,  full,  slender,  flo^ving,  flexible,  shril,  and 
austere.  They  knew  the  Time  of  the  voice,  and  had  a  view  to 
what  they  called  its  Quantity  in  pronunciation.  They  gave  to 
Force  or  Stres,  under  its  form  of  acent  and  emphasis,  apropriate 
places  in  speech.  They  observed  the  variation  of  acute  and  grave 
in  sound ;  and  were  the  first  to  make  an  exact  and  beautiful  analy- 
sis on  this  subject.  They  discovered  two  forms  of  transition  be- 
tween acutenes  and  gravity ;  one  that  ascends  or  descends,  by  a 
continuous  movement  or  slide :  the  other,  by  an  interupted  move- 
ment or  skip  from  place  to  place,  in  ascent  and  descent.  They 
also  perceved j  the  former  is  employed  in  Speech ;  the  later,  on 
musical  instruments.  Tho,  from  carying  the  inquiry  no  further, 
they  suposed,  but  eroneously  as  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  that  one 
was  soley  apropriated  to  speech ;  the  other  soley  to  instruments. 

The  ancients  however,  show  no  acquaintance  with  the  subdi- 
visions, definite  degrees,  and  particular  aplications,  of  those  two 
general  forms  of  pitchj  for  the  discriminative  purposes  of  oratori- 
cal use :  and  if  we  may  judge,  from  an  atempt  by  Dionysius  of 
Halicarnassus  to  point  out  the  diference  between  singing  and 
speech,  and  from  some  other  descriptions,  totaly  ireconcilable  with 
the  proprieties  of  modern,  and  as  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  of 
natural  and  ordained  intonation^  we  must  beleve  they  made  on 
this  point,  only  a  limited  analysis ;  that  the  uses  of  pitch,  or  of 
the  'tones'  of  the  voice,  as  they  are  caled,  were  conducted  alto- 
gether by  imitation ;  and  that  the  means  of  instruction  were  not 
reduced  to  any  precise  or  available  directions  of  art. 

No  one  can  read  that  discourse  on  the  management  of  the 
voice,  in  Quinctilian's  elaborate  chapter  on  Action,  without  alowing 
to  the  ancients  a  power  of  pcrceving  many  of  the  beauties  and 
blemishes  of  s])ecch.  Yet  among  the  numerous  indications  of  tlieir 
practical  familiarity  with  the  art  of  public  speakingj  we  find  no 


INTRODUCTION.  49 

clear  description  of  its  coiLstituente,  nor  any  definite  instruction. 
The  abundant  detail  thruhout  liLs  work  more  tlian  once  leads  the 
Author  to  an  apology  for  its  minutcncs ;  and  therefore  precludes 
the  suposition  that  he  designedly  overlooked  any  well  known 
means,  by  which  the  various  uses  of  the  voice  mit  be  represented 
with  available  precision. 

It  is  suposcd,  the  ancient  rhetoricians  designated  the  pitch  of  vocal 
sounds  by  the  term,  Acent.  They  made  three  kinds  of  acentsj  the 
acute,  the  grave,  and  the  circumflex;  signifying,  severaly,  the  rise, 
the  fall,  and  a  continuation  of  these  into  a  turn  of  the  voice.  The 
existence  in  Greek  manuscripts,  of  certain  acentual  symbols,  repre- 
senting these  movements,  which  however  were  not  aplied  till  about 
the  seventh  century,  aforded  the  only  data,  for  modern  inquiry  into 
the  forms  of  Greek  intonation ;  and  created  a  learned  disputej  that 
wa.s  continued,  without  one  satisfactory  result,  from  the  time  of  the 
Younger  Vossius,  to  the  recent  days  of  Foster,  and  Gaily. 

If  Greek  Scholars  had  employed  other  means  than  wasteful 
w^rangling  with  each  other,  for  ascertaining  the  purpose  of  acentual 
marks,  it  wud  long  ago  have  been  determined,  whether  they  direct 
to  any  practical  knowledge  of  Greek  uterance,  or  are  only  a  sub- 
ject for  useles  contention.  Had  the  tongue  and  the  ear,  the  ritful 
Masters  in  this  school,  been  consulted,  these  symbols  wud  at  once 
have  been  regarded  as  vague  and  meager  representations  of  the  full 
and  measurable  resources  of  the  voice. 

The  disputants  found  that  degree  of  obscurity  in  the  acount  of 
ancient  acent,  which  encourages  the  profitles  labors,  and  alternate 
triumphs  of  party ;  which  subjects  opinion  to  all  the  chicanery  of 
sectarian  argument ;  and  shuts  out  the  conclusive  inquiries  of  in- 
dependent observation.  In  the  distracting  fashion  of  the  old 
dialectic  art,  and  of  its  modern  use,  they  '  discoursed  about  truth 
until  they  forgot  to  discover  it:'  and  while  they  exhibit  a  distresing 
waste  of  time,  and  temper,  by  continualy  seeking  in  the  flickering 
indications  of  unfinished  records,  the  light  which  would  steadily 
have  arisen  on  their  observation,  they  hold  out  to  the  future  his- 
t<jrian  of  literature,  a  temptation  towards  the  Siircastic  inquiry; 
how  far  the  writers  on  Greek  and  Roman  acent  were  endowed  with 
the  powers  of  hearing  and  pronunciation. 

Since  the  decline,  or  the  limitation  of  clasic  authority,  modern 


50  INTRODUCTION. 

inquirers,  by  listening  to  the  sounds  of  their  own  language,  have 
at  last  undertaken  to  discover  other  elemental  functions  of  the 
voice,  than  those  represented  by  acentual  marks. 

The  works  of  Steele,  Sheridan,  and  Walker,  have  made  large 
contributions  to  the  long  neglected,  and  stil  craving  condition  of 
our  tongue. 

Mr.  Joshua  Steele  published,  at  London,  in  the  year  seventeen 
hundred  and  seventy-five,  'An  esay  towards  establishing  the 
melody  and  measure  of  speech,  to  be  expresed  and  perpetuated,  by 
peculiar  symbols.'  The  purpose  of  this  esay  was  to  question  some 
remarks  on  the  subject  of  acent  and  quantity,  by  Lord  Monboddo, 
in  his  'Origin  and  progress  of  language:'  and  was  executed,  in 
part,  under  the  form  of  an  argumentative  corespondence  between 
this  Author  and  Mr.  Steele. 

Future  times  may  smile  at  some  of  the  efects  of  clasical  pur- 
suits, if  ever  toldj  a  free  inquirer  had  considerable  dificult}^,  in 
convincing  an  acomplished  scholar,  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  that  the  English  language  has  those  atributes  of  Acent 
and  Quantity,  suposed  to  belong  exclusively  to  the  Latin  and  the 
Greek :  for  this  was  the  subject  of  controversy.  Mr.  Steele  has 
therefore  given  a  notation  of  the  time  of  the  voice;  and  shown 
that  the  same  continuous  slide  employed  on  sylables  of  the  Greek 
language,  is  necesarily  heard  on  those  of  his  own.  If  he  designed 
to  inquire  into  the  forms  and  varieties  of  that  slide,  he  was  un- 
sucesful.  For  with  an  exception  of  his  indefinite  representations 
of  some  new  forms  of  the  circumflex  or  turn,  he  made  no  advances 
beyond  the  few  but  elementary  facts  of  the  ancients :  and  only  in 
one  or  two  instances  obscurely  perceved,  what  in  other  cases,  they 
entirely  overlooked^  the  natural  conection  between  diferent  states 
of  the  mind,  and  their  apropriate  vocal  signs.  In  atempting  to 
delineate  the  melody  of  speech,  he  adopted  those  vague  or  un- 
founded opinions  of  the  Greeks,  that  the  vocal  slides  are  somehow 
made  thru  enharmonic  intervals^  by  which  they  may  have  intended 
to  denote  some  minute  interval  in  the  sliding  concrete;  and  that 
three  tones  and  a  half  is  the  measure  of  the  acentual  rise  and  fall 
in  ordinary  discourse.  The  influence  of  these  delusions,  together 
with  his  belief  in  some  notional  analogies  between  cert^iin  parts  of 
the  system  of  nuisic,  and  the  melody  of  speech,  rendered  his  short 


INTRODUCTION.  51 

aeount  of  intonation,  meager,  confused,  and  eroneous.  He  had 
two  diferent  objects  in  view.  Tlie  first,  to  prove  to  his  oj)onent, 
that  the  acontual  Slide,  and  Quantity  both  belong  esentialy  to 
English  speech.  This  he  briefly  did ;  without  considering  their 
broad  and  important  aplication,  and  their  efects.  The  second,  and 
principal,  mus  to  describe  an  original  system  of  Rythmic  Notation, 
by  which  the  subjects  of  Quantity,  of  stresful  emphasis,  and  of 
pause  may  be  represented  to  a  pupil ;  and  the  habit  of  atention 
fixed  on  these  important  points  in  the  art  of  reading. 

Mr.  Steele  shows  by  his  work,  that  he  posesed  nicety  of  ear,  a 
knowledge  of  the  science  and  practice  of  music,  together  with  an 
originality  and  independence  of  mind,  created  by  observation  and 
reflection ;  powers  suficient  when  not  restrained  or  perverted,  to 
have  developed  the  whole  philosophy  of  speech. 

Had  he  not  begun  and  continued  his  investigation  thru  the  dis- 
tractino^  means  of  controversy  ;  had  not  his  atention  been  drawn 
into  the  desultory  course  of  resjwnsive  argument ;  nor  his  courtesy 
towards  the  opinions  of  others  partially  betrayed  him  to  their  au- 
thority ;  had  he  not  asumed  as  identical,  those  facts  of  music  and 
of  speech,  which  his  own  closer  observation  Mould  have  proved  to 
be  diferent ;  and  above  all,  had  he  not  looked  back  to  a  suposed 
science,  in  the  wTitings  of  the  Greeks,  and  to  the  dark  confusion 
of  comentators  upon  them,  but  in  self-superiority  to  this  ol>struc- 
tive  influence,  kept  his  ful-suficient  and  undeviating  ear  on  Nature, 
she  would  at  last  have  led  him  up  to  light. 

Mr.  Sheridan  is  well  known  by  his  discriminating  investigation 
of  the  Art  of  reading ;  and  tho  he  improved  both  the  detail  and 
method  of  his  subject,  in  the  departments  of  pronunciation,  em- 
phasis, and  pause,  he  made  no  analysis  of  intonation.  A  regreted 
omision  !  The  more  so  from  the  ceitainty,  that  if  this  topic  had 
receved  his  atention,  his  inteligenoe  and  industry  would  have  shed 
much  light  of  explanation  upon  it. 

Mr.  \\'alker,  who  has  writcn  usefully  on  Rhetoric  and  Philology, 
devotes  a  portion  of  his  work  to  the  subject  of  the  rise  and  fall  of 
the  voice,  in  its  aplication  to  the  emphatic  sylables  of  a  sentence : 
and  reiterates  his  claims  to  originality  on  this  subject.  Mr. 
Walker  may  have  been  the  first  to  aply  the  confused  and  conjec- 
tural system  of  ancient  Accnt  to  a  modern  language ;  but  he  has 


52  INTRODUCTION. 

scarcely  gone  beyond  the  limited  analysis,  furnished  by  its  history. 
The  Greek  writers  on  music  had  a  discriminative  knowledge  of  the 
rise,  fall,  and  circumflex  turn  of  speech.  Aristoxenus  the  philoso- 
pher, a  pupil  of  Aristotle,  discovered,  or  first  described,  that  pecu- 
liar rise  and  fall  of  sound  by  a  continuous  progresion,  which 
distinguishes  the  vocal  slid,  from  the  skiping  transition  on  musical 
instruments. 

Mr.  Walker  does  triumphantly  claim  the  discovery  of  the  in- 
verted circumflex  acent,  or  the  downward-and-upward  continued 
movement.  Yet,  if  it  is  corectly  infered  from  the  dates  of  pub- 
lication, and  from  Mr.  Walker's  rather  derisive  alusion  to  Mr. 
Steele's  essay,  that  the  latter  author  preceded  him  j  he  mit  have 
found,  in  Mr.  Steele's  gravo-acute  acent,  proof  of  a  previous 
knowledge  of  his  newly-found  function  of  the  voice. 

Mr.  Walker  was  a  celebrated  elocutionist,  and  may  have  known 
how  to  manage  his  intonation ;  but  in  his  atempt  to  delineate  its 
forms,  he  is  even  less  definite  than  Mr.  Steele.  His  insinuation 
that  speech  and  music,  each  being  varied  uses  of  the  same  tunable 
constituents,  should  not  be  ilustrated  by  some  analogous  notation^ 
and  his  own  eroneous  diagrams  of  the  progress  of  pitch,  are  in- 
stances of  a  want  of  reflection  and  of  obtusenes  of  ear,  quite  rep- 
rehensible in  one,  who,  without  compulsion,  should  undertake  to 
investigate  the  relationships  of  sound. 

I  have  stated  the  amount,  and  the  sources,  of  what  has  been 
heretofore  known  of  the  functions  of  speech.  In  a  general  view,  it 
apears :  That  the  number,  the  kinds,  and  the  organic  causes  of  the 
Aljihabetic  Elements  have  long  been  recorded,  with  acurate  dctiiil ; 
That  Quantity  or  the  Time  of  sylabic  uterance,  together  with  the 
subject  of  Pause,  had  been  distinguished  only  by  a  few  indefinite 
terms,  until  Mr.  Steele,  with  discriminative  perception,  aplied  to 
speech  some  of  the  principles  and  symbols  of  musiciil  notation; 
That  Acent  or  the  means  of  distinguishing  a  sylable  by  sires  or 
intensity  of  voice,  has  been  definitely  described  in  English  pronun- 
ciation, both  as  to  its  place  and  degrees ;  That  this  sylabic  stress, 
tho  attentively  regarded  in  the  grammatical  institute  of  the  Greeks, 
is  yet  in  their  records,  so  confounded  with  some  notion  of  the  rising 
and  the  falling  slid,  and  the  circumflex  turn  of  the  voice,  tliat  we 
are  left  altogether  in  doubt,  as  to  their  systematic  and  separate  use 


INTRODUCTION.  53 

of  these  (liferent  functions ;  That  Emphasis,  wlien  restricted  to  the 
purpose  of  making  one  or  more  words  conspicuous,  by  force  or  in- 
tensity, has  long  been  a  subject  of  rlietorical  atention;  Mr.  Walker 
being  the  first  among  modern  Elocutionists,  who  atempted,  under 
the  terms  upward  and  downward  slide,  to  conect  any  view  of  In- 
tonation with  it :  And  finaly,  that  the  analysis  of  Intonation  has 
hardly  been  extended  beyond  the  recorded  knowledge  of  the 
ancients.  Greek  and  Roman  writers  tell  us  of  the  acute,  grave, 
and  circumflex  movements ;  and  these,  with  the  newly  described 
inverted-circumflex,  have,  at  a  recent  date,  by  Mr.  Steele  and  Mr. 
Walker,  first  been  vaguely  regarded,  in  English  speecli. 

These  four  general  heads  of  intonation  are  truly  drawn  from 
nature ;  yet,  with  the  present  indefinite  meaning  of  their  terms, 
they  are  useles  for  practical  instruction,  and  no  less  imperfectly 
designate  the  measurable  modifications  of  speech,  than  the  four 
cardinal  terms  of  the  compas  describe  all  the  points,  distances, 
and  contents  of  space. 

The  discovery  of  the  above  mentioned  distinctions  in  intonation, 
which  must  justly  form  the  outline  of  all  nicer  discrimination,  was 
the  result  of  philosophical  inquiry.  A  much  more  abundant,  but 
not  more  precise  nomenclature  has  been  derived  from  criticism. 
The  folowing  phrases  are  extracted  from  a  description  of  Mr.  Gar- 
rick's  maner  of  reading  the  Church-service,  and  have  an  especial 
reference  to  the  Intonation  of  his  voice :  '  Even  tenor  of  smooth 
regular  delivery,'  'Fervent  tone,'  'Sincerity  of  devotional  ex- 
presion,'  'Ilei)entant  tone,'  'Reverential  tone,'  'Evennes  of  voice,' 
'  Tone  of  solemn  dignity,'  '  Of  suplication,'  '  Of  sorow,  and  con- 
trition.' 

Those  who  know  what  constitutes  acuracy  of  language,  must 
admit  that  such  atempts  to  name  the  means  of  vocal  expresion, 
have  no  more  claim  to  the  title  of  Intel igible  description,  than  be- 
longs to  the  rambling  signification  of  vulgar  nomenclature.  We 
seem  not  to  l>e  aware,  that  no  describablc  perceptions  of  sound  are 
conectcd  with  such  comon  phrases  of  criticism,  until  required  to 
ilustrate  them  by  some  definite  forms  of  intonation.  'Grandeur 
of  feeling,'  says  a  writer,  in  laying  down  the  rules  of  elmnition, 
'should  be  cxpresed  with  pomp  and  magnificence  of  tone;'  as  if 
the  words,  pomp  and  magnificence  were  specifications  of  percepti- 


54  INTRODUCTION. 

ble  '  tones j'  or  explanatory  and  definite  terms  for  some  well-known 
forms  and  uses  of  the  voice.  But  as  these  words  describe  no  audi- 
ble function,  they  can  in  this  case  denote  indefinitely,  only  a  state 
of  mind;  and  are  therefore  convertible  with  the  term,  'grandeur 
of  feeling,'  which  denotes  indefinitely  only  a  state  of  mind.  AVe 
may  therefore  presume,  from  their  having  no  reference  to  assign- 
able conditions  of  the  voicej  if  the  writer  had  been,  conversely 
asked,  how  'pomp and  magnificence  of  feeling'  should  be  expresed, 
he  would,  with  no  more  precision,  have  answered j  'by  grandeur 
of  tone.'  Such  rules  for  the  expresion  of  speech,  tho  abounding 
in  our  systems  of  elocution,  are  resolvable,  into  words,  with  no  ex- 
planatory meaning.  Nor  can  any  weight  of  authority  give  them 
the  power  of  description ;  since  the  terms  '  sorowful  expression,' 
and  'tone  of  solemn  dignity,'  in  the  precepts  of  an  acomplished 
Elocutionist,  have  no  more  signification  as  to  the  modes,  forms, 
degrees,  and  varieties  of  pitch,  time,  and  force  of  voice,  than  those 
of  'fine-turned  cadence,'  and  'chaste  modulation,'  in  the  idle  criti- 
cism of  a  daily  gazette. 

All  arts  and  sciences  apear  under  two  diferent  conditions.  They 
may  be  described  by  terms  of  vague  signification,  suited  to  the 
limited  knowledge  and  feeble  senses  of  the  ignorant,  in  every  caste 
of  society.  Those  who  view  them  under  this  condition,  in  vainly 
pretending  to  discriminate,  express  only  their  thotless  approbation. 
Again,  they  may  be  shown  in  definite  delineation,  by  a  language 
of  unchangeable  meaningj  and  independently  of  the  perversions, 
which  slender  ability,  natural  temper,  or  momentary  humor  may 
create.  He  who  thus  surveys  an  art,  will  in  expressing  his  apro- 
bation,  always  reflect  and  discriminate. 

Some  branches  of  the  art  of  speaking  are  even  at  this  late 
period  scarcely  removed  from  the  first  of  these  conditions.  This 
however,  will  not  seem  strange,  when  we  for  a  moment  refer  to 
its  cause.  There  is  no  growth  of  intelect  from  a  metaphysical 
nothing;  no  'equivocal  generation'  in  knowledge.  It  always 
springs  from  the  obvious  seeds  of  itself;  and  these  are  first 
planted  in  the  mind,  by  definite  perceptions  and  explanatory 
terms.  But  the  elementary  forms  of  Intonation  are  an  esential 
constituent  of  expresive  speech ;  and  tho  constiuitly  heiird,  have 
never  been  named :  the  studious  inquirer  has  therefore  wanted  a 


INTRODUCriOX.  55 

definite  language  for  those  purposes  of  the  voice,  which  lie  must 
have  always  obscurely  perceved.  The  fulness  of  nomenclature  in 
art  is  directly  proportional  to  the  degree  of  its  improvement ;  and 
the  acuracy  of  its  terms  insures  the  precision  of  its  systematic 
rules.  The  few  and  indeterminate  designations  of  the  modes  of 
the  voice  in  Heading,  compared  with  the  number  and  acuracy  of 
the  terms  in  Masic,  imply  the  diferent  maner  in  which  each  has 
been  cultivated.  The  inquirers  into  the  subject  of  speech  have 
un})roductively  given  up  their  opinions  to  authority,  and  their 
pens  to  quotation.  The  musician  has  devoted  his  ear  to  observa- 
tion and  experiment,  and  in  their  path  has  persisted  onward  to 
succes.  The  words,  quick,  slow,  long,  short,  loud,  soft,  rise,  fall, 
and  turn,  indefinite  as  they  are,  include  nearly  all  the  discrimina- 
tive terms  of  Elocution.  How  far  they  fall  short  of  an  enumera- 
tion of  every  precise  and  elegant  use  of  the  voice,  and  how  fairly 
the  caiLse  of  the  vague  and  limited  condition  of  our  knowletlge  ls 
here  represented,  shall  be  determined  on  a  retrospective  view  by 
an  age  to  come,  when  the  ear  will  have  made  deliberate  examina- 
tion. 

A  conviction  of  the  imperfect  state  of  our  knowledge  in  certaiii 
branches  of  the  Art  of  Speaking,  first  led  the  Author  to  the  en- 
suing investigation ;  and  a  hope  that  others  mit  asist  in  the  com- 
pletion of  a  desirable  measurement  and  method  of  the  voice, 
induced  him  to  set  the  present  publication  before  them.  If  it 
shud  not  furnish  a  plan  for  the  future  establishment  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  Intonation,  Time,  and  Forcej  he  must  still  continue  to 
beleve,  without  controversy,  in  the  atainable  and  practical  benefits 
of  such  a  work. 

I  canot,  at  this  timej  when  an  unsteady  Popularity,  in  disturb- 
ing everything  else,  has  presumed  to  be  the  directive  Master  of 
Tastej  withhold  a  few  remarks  on  the  importance  of  general  2>rin- 
ciples,  in  the  Fine  Arts ;  as  these  ])rinciples  are  not  only  the  sure 
Foundation  and  the  Pi-eservative  defense  of  a  steadfa'^t  Intelectual 
Taste,  distinguished  from  a  Taste  of  changeable  preferences,  and 
capricej  but  are  at  the  same  time,  the  most  efcctive  means  for 
exalting  it.  And  altho  the  entire  want  of  such  principles  or  rules 
in  the  use  of  Intonation,  has  unecesarily  letl  to  the  l>eliefj  they 
canot  be  instituted,  it  will  be  shown  in  the  folowing  csay ;  they 


56  INTRODUCTION. 

are  not  only  as  esential  but  likewise  as  atainable  in  Elocution,  as 
in  any  other  art  which  elegantly  employs  the  observation  and 
reflection  of  the  intelect. 

Those  persons  who  receve  the  highest  intelectual  enjoyment 
from  the  works  of  art,  know  well,  that  its  fulness  and  durability 
are  chiefly  derived  from  that  power  of  broad  and  exact  discern- 
ment, which  is  acquired  by  experience,  and  time,  and  by  a  dis- 
ciplined inquiry  into  the  rules  of  taste  that  direct  the  production. 
A  knowledge  of  these  rules  constitutes  the  executive  facility  of 
the  artist,  and  gives  delight  to  him  who  contemplates  the  work. 
Whatever  the  physical  susceptibility  may  be,  it  is  not  the  im- 
presion  of  form,  or  color,  or  sound,  pasively  receved  by  the  eye 
or  ear,  that  creates  an  enlightened  perception  of  the  objects  of  the 
fine  arts.  Delicate  organization,  call  it  '  Genius '  here  if  you 
please,  is  essential  to  this  perception ;  still  it  is  the  united  activity 
of  the  senses  and  the  brain,  in  the  work  of  observation  and  com- 
parison, together  with  the  development  of  new,  and  the  aplication 
of  pre-established  rulesj  which  by  unfolding  the  latent  tendencies 
of  this  physical  susceptibility,  constitutes  the  extended,  the  dis- 
criminative, and  the  enduring  pleasure  of  taste.  And  if  there  is 
yet  to  be  discovered  some  surpasing  eficacy  of  art,  for  a  surpasing 
intelectual  delight,  it  can  never  be  acomplished,  except  by  the 
influence  of  comprehensive  and  still  acumulating  precepts ;  derived 
from  the  study  of  nature  it  is  true,  but  aplied  to  represent  her 
chosen,  corected,  and  combined  individualities ;  and  thereby,  under 
the  human  eye  at  least,  to  generalize  and  exalt  even  that  Nature, 
in  form  if  not  in  purpose,  above  herself. 

Besides  the  sources  of  contemplative  pleasure,  and  the  means  of 
preservation  and  improvement  in  an  art,  aforded  by  principles, 
their  influence  is  operative  after  a  temporary  decline,  or  total  loss 
of  its  practice.  They  efect  a  speedy  restoration  when  evil  example 
has  passed  away,  or  a  tradition  of  former  excelence  has  produced 
a  desire  for  its  revival.  Tlie  definite  description  of  elementary 
constituents,  and  the  statement  of  the  rule  of  their  use,  are  par- 
ticularly necesary  in  the  art  of  speaking- well ;  since  its  pasing 
exercise  leaves  no  record  of  itself.  The  works  of  art,  without  an 
explanation  of  their  meaning  and  use,  are  often  as  deep  an  enigma, 
as  the  works  of  nature ;  and  a  long  course  of  observation  is  in 


INTRODUCTION.  57 

cac'li  case  equaly  required,  to  note  and  class  their  phenomena,  and 
to  discover  their  formal,  their  efficient,  and  their  final  causes. 

Altlio  the  ancients  have  left  us  abundant  eulop^istic  anecdotes  on 
the  art  of  Painting,  they  have  done  little  more  than  alude  to  tliosc 
principles  of  composition,  design,  shaded  light,  and  coloring,  by 
which  their  great  masters  im])roved  upon  nature,  while  they  ])ro- 
fesed  to  imitate  her ;  and  the  want  of  a  knowledge  of  these,  even 
with  the  benefits  of  patronage,  was  one  cause  of  the  delay  of  at 
least  two  centuries,  in  the  gradual  progres  of  the  art  to  its  full 
restoration,  in  modern  Europe.  Stories  of  the  graces  of  ancient 
Design  were  revolved  in  the  minds  of  the  image-makers  of  Italy, 
and  of  the  decorators  of  cloisters,  like  the  problems  of  the  me- 
chanical wondei's  of  Archimedes,  that  were  not  to  be  solved  by 
record  or  tradition.* 

Ancient  architecture  has,  by  means  of  the  fragments  of  its  ruins, 
been  revived  in  modern  days,  to  a  degree  atainable  thru  precision 
of  measurement ;  and  under  this  view,  some  of  its  remains  have 
furnished  the  highest  examples  for  imitation.  Delicate  observa- 
tion, aided  by  a  refined  taste  in  other  arts,  is  yet  required,  to 
retreve  the  knowledge  of  those  principles  which  must  have  directed 
the  taste  of  the  Greeks ;  but  of  which  Vitruvius  gave  only  an 
imperfect  sketch,  while  compiling  a  popular  book  lor  Builders ; 
and  which  Pausanias,  in  his  hurried  tour,  forgot  to  set  down,  as 
the  proper  preface  to  his  Inventory  of  temples. 

If  the  Greek  writers  on  music  had  not  furnished  us  with  a 
knowledge  of  the  ancient  Scales,  and  of  the  principles  tliat 
directed  their  construction  and  uses,  the  records  of  Choragic 
monuments  and  the  acounts  of  the  Odeum,  wud  have  only  ex- 
cited our  wonder  at  the  extraordinary  power  of  instrumental 
sound.  The  inv^entivc  mind  of  Guido,  instead  of  completing  the 
modern  scale,  might  have  only  laid  its  foundation,  by  fixing  a 
single  chord  acros  a  shell,  and  the  finished  system  of  modern  har- 
mony mit  now  have  been  but  just  begun. 

Such  is  the  view  we  take  of  arts  directed  by  princij)lcs,  or  pre- 

*  See  an  acount  of  the  above  new  term,  shaded  light,  in  tlie  twonty-flfth 
Article  of  the  thirty-sixth  Section,  under  the  head  of  Painting,  in  th(!  '  Nat- 
ural History  of  the  Intelect;'  since  from  the  conection  of  the  mind  and  the 
voice,  I  supose  the  incjuiring  Header  to  poses  tiie  two  Works  that  describe  it. 


58  INTRODUCTION. 

cepts  colected  from  experience,  for  designing,  executing,  presers^ing, 
and  reviving  the  great  and  desirable  works  of  usefulness  and 
taste :  precej)ts  acumulated  by  th§  eforts  of  close  and  industrious 
observation,  looking  to  the  eventual  aid  of  Time ;  who,  himself 
never  working  impatiently,  becomes  the  great  wonder-Avorker  of 
all  intelectual,  as  well  as  of  all  physical  creation. 

The  folowing  essay  exhibits  an  atempt  to  describe  the  constituents 
of  speech,  and  the  principles  of  their  aplication,  with  a  precision 
that  may  enable  criticism  to  be  systematic  and  instructivej  thereby 
afording  readers  at  other  times  and  places,  the  means  of  compre- 
hending its  discriminations. 

Discusions  on  the  subject  of  standard  principles,  in  some  of  the 
arts,  have  always  involved  the  question  of  their  origin ;  and  nature 
has  generaly  been  asumed  as  the  source. 

Nature  afords  two  conditions  of  her  governing  rules,  for  rules 
are  only  directive  principles.  In  one,  she  is  taken  as  the  model 
for  exact  imitation,  in  those  branches  of  art  which  profes  to  copy 
her  full  and  actual  details^  exemplified  by  the  faultles  and  ex- 
quisite artistic  delineations,  in  the  various  departments  of  Natural 
History,  and  as  in  every  science.  Here  individual  nature  is  the 
standard ;  and  here  the  excelence  of  art  consists,  in  the  whole- 
truth  of  the  resemblance,  without  the  least  superfluous  ideal-touch. 
In  the  other,  or  in  the  departments  of  Taste,  where  it  is  the  jjur- 
pose  to  exalt  its  creations,  by  a  mental  corecting  of  what  to  our  eye, 
apears  to  be  the  exceptionable  details  of  nature,  or  by  a  selection 
from  her  scatered  constituents  of  beautvj  the  rule  is  the  result  of 
a  congenial  knowledge  in  the  art,  exhibited  in  strong  similarity 
among  persons  of  equal  instinct  and  cultivation :  v/hich,  if  it  does 
not  prove  conformity  in  taste  to  be  the  development  of  an  invari- 
able law  of  nature,  in  the  human  mind,  at  least  afords  education 
the  means  of  tracing  the  causes  of  beauty  and  deformity ;  and  of 
framing  a  satisfactory  and  enduring  system  of  laws  for  itself. 

The  uses  of  the  voice  have  not  yet  been  brot  under  either  of 
these  conditions.  For  the  first ;  Nature  or  that  uncnligjitened,  or 
rather  deformed  instinct  comonly  called  natural  speech,  does  not 
aford  examples  of  individual  excelence;  and  has  perhaps  never 
furnished  a  single  instance,  worthy  in  all  respects  to  be  copied. 
For  the  second  condition ;  from  the  want  of  a  full  knowledge  and 


INTRODUCTION.  69 

definite  nomenclature  of  the  constituents  of  speedi,  and  of  careful 
experiments  on  the  vocal  signs  of  thot  and  pasionj  there  has  never 
iK'on  tliat  dear  perception  of  the  characteristic  causes  of  beautv 
and  deformity,  which  would  warant  the  institution  of  a  standard, 
either  by  the  method  of  selection,  or  by  that  of  the  exalting  power 
of  creative  thot.  The  highest  achievements  in  statuary,  painting, 
and  the  landscape,  consist  of  those  forms  and  compositions,  never 
perhaps  found  singly-existent,  or  variously  combined  in  nature ; 
but  which  in  the  estimation  of  Cultivated  Taste,  and  its  perfecting 
agency,  may  far  surpas  her  individual  productions. 

The  folowing  analytic  history  of  the  human  voice  will  enable 
an  Elocutionist  of  any  nation,  to  frame  a  didactic  system  for  his 
own  native  and  familiar  speech.  Since  it  shows  that  the  vocal 
signs  of  expresion  have  a  universality,  coexistent  with  the  prev- 
alence of  thot  and  passion ;  and  that  a  gramar  of  elocution,  like 
that  of  music,  must  be  one  and  the  same  for  the  whole  family  of 
man.  He  will  also  find  the  outline  of  a  system  of  principles  and 
practice,  I  have  ventured  to  propose,  on  a  survey  of  those  proper- 
ties of  uterance,  which  seem  to  me,  acomodated  to  the  taste  of  the 
cultivated  ear ;  but  which  being  rarely,  if  ever  acomplished  by  the 
human  voicej  tho  still  within  the  reach  of  natural  sciencej  must, 
until  so  physicaly  acomplished,  be  caled,  in  analogy  with  the 
highest  character  of  the  above  named  arts,  the  Ideal  Beauty  of 
speech.  Beleving,  that  no  one  age  or  nation  has  yet  been  able  to 
prove  its  claim  to  suj^eriority  in  the  Art  of  speaking,  I  have  pre- 
sumed to  make  a  universal  aplication  of  the  system  of  the  folow- 
ing Work,  on  the  ground,  of  the  unity  of  the  laws  oi'  nature,  and 
of  the  universality  of  the  fixed  and  describable  relations  between 
the  states  of  thot  and  of  pasion,  and  the  vocal  sign's^  which  re- 
spectively denote  them. 

This  undertaking  is  directly  oposcd  to  a  vidgar  error..  The 
inscrutable  character,  as  it  is  afirmed,  and  the  suposcd  infinity,  of 
the  vocal  movements,  together  with  the  rapid  coarse  and  perpetual 
variation  of  uterance,  are  considered  as  insuj)erable  obstacles  to  a 
precise  description  of  tho  detail  and  system  of  the  S|>eaking  voice; 
This  objection  will  be  hereafter  answered,  otherwise  than  by  con- 
tentious argument.  But  we  may  here,  otdy  ask^  if  there  is  no 
other  oportunity  to  count  the  radii  of  a  wheel  than  in  the  race;  or 


60  INTRODUCTIOX. 

to  number  and  describe  the  Individuals  of  a  herd,  except  in  the 
promiscuous  mingling  of  their  flight.  Music,  with  its  infinitude 
of  details,  must  still  have  been  a  mystery,  could  the  knowledge  of 
its  intervals  and  its  time  have  been  caught-up,  only  from  the  mul- 
tiplied combinations  and  rapid  execution  of  the  orchestra.  The 
acuracy  of  mathematical  calculation,  joined  with  the  sober  patience 
of  the  ear  over  a  deliberate  practice  on  its  constituentsj  has  not 
had  more  succes  in  disclosing  the  system  of  this  beautiful  and 
luminous  science,  than  a  similar  watchfiilnes  over  the  deliberate 
movements  of  speech  will  aiford,  for  designating  the  hitherto  un- 
recorded phenomena  of  the  voice.  If  there  is  any  purpose  in  the 
works  of  nature,  or  any  ordained  eficiency  of  means  to  complete 
the  circle  of  her  designs,  we  shall  find,  on  the  development  of  her 
vocal  system,  some  uniform  and  apropriate  rulesj  within  the  pale 
of  which  the  voice  should  be  variously  exercised,  to  give  light  to 
the  intelect  and  pleasure  to  the  ear. 

The  acurate  sciences,  and  the  fine  arts,  without  our  having  re- 
gard to  the  simplicity  of  those  Primary  Causes,  in  the  mind,  which 
the  more  deeply  they  are  viewed,  the  more  we  may  perceve  only 
a  varied  unity  in  their  efectsj  have  been  contrasted  by  the  kinds, 
rather  than  as  it  should  be,  by  the  degrees  of  their  claims  to  truth. 
The  careles  argument  asumes,  that  taste  is  merely  a  wavering  thot, 
or  '  feeling '  among  mankind ;  and  has  no  rule  for  the  co-perception 
of  grandeur,  grace,  and  beauty-,  in  the  selected,  or  exalted  uses  of 
form,  color,  and  sound.  This  asumption  is  one  of  the  delusions  of 
ignorance.  But  if  there  is  a  similar  method  of  perception  among 
persons  of  equal  taste  and  education,  it  must  be  founded  on  some 
general  principle  of  the  cultivated  intelect.  The  agreement  there- 
fore, arising  from  the  equalizing  law  of  knowledge,  gives  a  char- 
acter to  the  principles  of  taste,  analogous  at  least  to  that,  which  by 
a  like  constitutional  law  of  the  mind,  in  a  general  consent  on  the 
subject  of  physical  relationshipsj  forms  the  full  and  unquestiona- 
ble truth  of  the  acurate  sciences.  Under  this  view  of  the  founda- 
tion of  the  principles  of  the  fine  arts,  we  must  perceve  at  last  the 
measure  of  their  truth,  as  that  of  the  truth  of  the  exact  sciences,  in 
the  agreement  of  those  who  cultivate  them.  He  who  knows,  that 
all  men  of  education  find  the  same  properties  in  a  circle,  may 
learn  by  a  similar  perception,  that  if  the  mind  should  ever  be 


INTRODUCTION.  61 

clearetl  of  its  human  rubbish;  particular  exeelcncics  of  the  painter, 
poet,  architect,  orator,  statuary,  compaser,  hmdscape  improver,  and 
actor,  will  reach  the  sprin<;  of  ci^igenial  perception,  in  those  who 
observe  and  rcHect  upon  their  works,  and  spread-abroad  a  varied 
stream  of  ever-during  aprobation.  The  claim  to  acuracy  of  knowl- 
edge is  the  inherent  right  of  every  art.  It  is  not  consistent  with 
the  law  of  nature,  that  Truth,  upon  her  simj)le  and  impartial  scat 
within  the  mind  should  have  her  favorites;  let  all  be  equaly  thot- 
free,  strict,  and  studious,  and  she  will  reward  them  all  alike. 
What  has  been,  in  the  perverse  yet  often  repentant  human  intel- 
ect,  may  l)e;  and  we  learn  from  the  history  of  the  so-ealed  saga- 
cious Greekj  who  well  knew  the  fixed  and  useful  truths  of  Ge- 
ometrvj  that  those  subjects  of  Natural  j)hilosophy,  which  l)y  a 
'New  Organ'  of  the  mind,  are  now  reduced  to  the  clearnes  of  ex- 
perimental knowledge,  and  taught  to  the  school-boyj  were  by  that 
very  Greek,  regarded  as  too  fleeting  and  disputable,  to  l)e  a  mater 
for  observative  science,  or  even  to  employ  the  fleeting  logic  of  his 
endles  metaphysical  disputations. 

Though  future  times  may  possibly  break  down  the  mischevous 
distinction,  which  asigns  a  diferent  kind  of  thot  to  different  depart- 
ments of  inquiry ;  and  may  subject  all  nature  and  art,  equaly,  to 
the  simple  and  suficient  proces  of  Observation  and  Clasification ; 
still  it  may  seem  to  the  present  age,  that  between  the  perception  of 
beauty  in  the  arts,  and  of  the  ratios  of  mathematical  quantity,  there 
is  little  similarity.  But,  aside  from  metaphysical  sophistiy,  there 
can  be  no  other  ground  for  an  acknowledged  certainty,  in  our  per- 
ceptions of  the  relationships  of  magnitude  and  number,  than  the 
undivided  and  unchanging  perceptions  and  belief,  of  those  who 
sagaciously  inquire  into  them.  They  agree  upon  themj  because 
they  all  pursue  a  like  conected  train  of  exact  observation,  or  *  rea- 
soning' as  this  train  is  usually  caledj  being  therein  hapily  sepa- 
rated from  the  world  of  wranglers,  who  taking  no  part  or  interest 
in  a  mathematical  truth  they  canot  overthrow,  do  not  vexatiously 
disturb  their  agreement ;  again,  bet^use  they  all  employ  the  same 
precision  of  terms  for  these  relationshij)s,  and  are  more  dispassionate 
in  their  investigations,  than  we  are  acustomed  to  be,  on  the  many 
subjects  that  involve  the  distractions  of  our  ])ride,  and  vanity, 
and  emulation ;  because  they  so  closely  observe  the  su(;esions,  and 


62  INTRODUCTION. 

SO  strictly,  by  the  comanding  symbols  of  analysis,  contemplate  the 
bearing  of  premises  embraced  in  a  conclusion;  and  finally,  not  be- 
cause they  employ  on  the  exact  sciences,  a  diferent  mental  method j 
for  the  mind,  apart  from  its  endles  ways  in  popular  and  scholastic 
fiction,  has  only  one  methodj  but  because  the  ambitious  and 
worldly  atractions  of  other  subjects  of  knowledge,  have  left  the 
development  of  these  sciences,  together  with  the  aplication  of  the 
above  described  Causes  of  their  succes,  to  the  retired  and  self-con- 
tented observation  and  reflection  of  earnest,  exact,  and  jjersevering 
inquirers.  It  is  trifling  to  urge,  that  the  properties  of  a  Conic 
Section  are  eternal  entities  of  '  purely  Transcendental  intelect,' 
quite  independent  of  our  acidental  and  physical  perception  of 
them,  and  that  they  would  still  exist  as  truths,  even  if  they  might 
never  be  demonstrated.  Ti*uth  is  a  com})arative  term,  uncaled 
for  by  Nature,  who  has  no  relative  erors  within  herself,  and  was 
only  invented  for  the  uses  of  a  disputatious  and  imperfectly-per- 
cipient being.  Besides,  the  question  before  us  is  of  knowledge, 
not  of  metaphysical  notions.  OtherAvise  we  might,  with  like  proof 
of  an  abstract  and  eternal  rule  of  taste,  asert  that  the  proportions 
of  a  Greek  column  exist,  unhewn  and  unseen  in  the  quary ;  like 
that  transcendental  conceit  of  old,  which  declared^  the  Venus  of 
Gnidos  was  not  the  work  of  Praxiteles ;  Nature  herself  having 
concreted  within  the  marble,  the  boundary'  but  hiden  surface  of  its 
beauty;  the  artist,  when  the  statue  came  to  light,  having  only 
produced  the  fragments  of  his  chisel,  and  the  dust  of  his  file.  I 
speak  here  against  an  unlimited  asertion  of  the  variablenes  of  the 
thotful  and  efective  principles  of  taste,  and  not  with  the  presump- 
tion, at  this  time,  even  to  feign  for  them,  a  comparison  with  any 
established  principle  of  the  exact  sciences.  But  there  are  no 
degrees  in  truth  ;  therefore,  every  mathematical  purpose  which 
remains  without  fulfilment  by  demonstration,  must  submit  to  its 
clasification  with  what  are  called  the  indefinite  precepts  of  the 
Esthetic  Arts,  hapily  distinguished  from  them,  in  being  free  from 
the  interference  of  Ignorance  and  Conceit.  And  yet  it  may  be  re- 
marked, in  anticipation  of  what  will  he  shown  herejifter,  that  the 
Art  of  Speech,  in  three  of  its  important  modesj  namely,  Time, 
with  its  measurable  moraentsj  Intonation,  with  its  measurable  in- 
tervalsj  and  Force,  with  its  measurable  dcgreesj  if  not  admissible 


INTRODUCTION.  63 

within  tlie  pale  of  exact  caleuUition,  is  yet  upon  ibi  border;  and 
when,  by  future  cultivation,  it  shall  take  its  destined  ])lace  among 
the  esthetic  arts,  it  will  be  found,  at  least  lx?side  Architecture  and 
Music,  those  l^eautiful  combinations  of  taste,  with  mathematical 
truth;  if  indeed,  from  its  principles  of  intonation  being  broadly 
and  strictly  founded  in  nature,  it  may  not  claim  to  be  before 
them. 

Controversies  on  points  involving  the  leading  principles  of  taste, 
are  generaly,  contentions  of  the  ignorant  with  artists,  or  with  one 
another;  and  rarely  to  any  great  degree,  of  the  diferences  of  edu- 
cate<l  and  inteligent  artists  among  themselves.  If  the  later  are 
unable  to  extend  the  authority,  and  the  benefits  of  their  princi- 
ples, over  the  presumptuous  part  of  the  multitudej  it  does  not 
prove j  some  system  of  principles  may  not  prevail  in  the  arts,  or 
that  artists  do  not  enjoy  the  delightful  efects  of  it ;  but  seems  to 
implyj  there  is  more  asuming  vanity  in  the  world  than  felowship 
in  knowledge.  Silence,  or  modest  inquiiy  is  the  duty  of  the  igno- 
rant ;  and  where  neither  is  performed^  Nature  apears  in  their  case, 
to  have  departed  from  her  plan  in  animal  creation,  by  not  with- 
holding from  them  the  litigious  faculty  of  speech. 

These  differences  canot  of  themselves,  call  in  question  the  au- 
thority of  principles  in  the  arts.  Most  of  the  phenomena  of  cause 
and  efect  in  Natural  Philosophy,  are  as  obvious  as  proofs  of  the 
properties  of  curves,  by  the  most  exact  calculus.  Still,  pretenders  in 
every  condition  of  life  are  constantly  trespassing  within  the  bounds 
of  this  science,  by  the  absurdity  of  their  reasonings  with  each  other 
on  })oints  of  physical  knowledge.  Knaves  exhibit  their  schemes  for 
producing  Perpetual  Motion ;  and  the  whole  host  of  learned  and 
unlearned  credulity  canot  change  the  influence  of  those  principles, 
which  as  yet,  have  determined  the  mechanical  imposibility. 

There  is  a  wholesome  kind  of  conviction  in  the  mind  of  fools, 
which  forces  them  to  confes  their  want  of  knowledge  in  mathe- 
matics, if  they  have  not  studied  that  science.  But  taste,  say  they, 
is  '  natural,'  therefore  every  one  should  have  his  own.  It  is  true, 
everyone  knows  what  will  please  himself  in  his  ignorance ;  the 
wise  alone  know  what  will  please  the  inteligent  in  their  education. 

In  thus  advocating  the  necesity  of  precepts  for  the  promotion, 
government,  defense,  and  restoration  of  taste,   I   deprecate  any 


64  INTRODUCTION. 

inference  that,  by  furnishing  available  tho  even  conventional 
rules  for  an  art,  these  precepts  tend  to  confine  it  to  an  unalterable 
standard.  Established  principles  are  not  as  the  barier  of  a  flood, 
which  in  protecting  from  inroad,  sometimes  restrictively  prevents 
the  oportunities  of  further  conquestj  but  as  the  guide  and  escort 
of  the  arts,  to  acquisitions  of  wider  glory.  With  an  exception 
of  that  often  misused  principle.  Variety^  their  influence  over  the 
arts  has  always  insured  their  advancement,  and  accompanied  their 
exaltation.  The  ambitious  search  after  Novelty,  which  under 
another  name,  too  often  means  Variety'  in  the  sucesions  of  fashion 
and  of  schoolsj  has,  under  the  restless  designs  of  vanity,  and  the 
influence  of  unguarded  patronage,  ruined  more  arts  than  all  the 
destructive  ignorance  of  the  barbarian. 

It  will  perhaps  be  saidj  we  learn  from  experience,  that  a  high 
advancement  in  the  arts  may  lead  to  perversion  from  their  original 
purpose.  This  has  sometimes  been  the  case.  By  increasing  the 
dificulties  of  musical  execution,  in  the  voice  and  on  instruments, 
this  art  is,  by  the  singularities  of  mechanical  skill,  the  varied 
tricks  of  interest  and  ambition,  and  the  waywardnes  of  undis- 
cerning  patronage,  frequently  exercised  to  the  indifference  or  dis- 
gust of  those,  whose  aprobation  would  be  durable ;  and  to  the 
thotles  satisfaction  of  those,  whom  the  united  caprice  of  ignorance 
and  fashion  may  urge  equaly  to  support  or  to  destroy. 

A  full  knoAvledge  of  the  principles  and  practice  of  an  art,  en- 
ables an  industrious  and  aspiring  votary  to  aproach  perfection ; 
while  idle  folowers  are  contented  with  the  defaults  of  imitation. 
With  most  men,  the  labor  of  the  mind,  equaly  with  that  of  the 
body,  ceases  with  the  removal  of  its  necessity ;  and  a  shameles 
dependence  on  the  intelectual  alms  of  others,  is  not  less  comon, 
than  the  populous  growth  of  pauperism  upon  the  increasing 
provisions  of  benevolence.  The  unbounded  distributions  of  wise 
originality  prompt  to  excuses  for  indolence,  and  to  claims  for 
sucor,  and  the  empire  itself  of  the  art  falls  at  last,  under  the  com- 
piling insurrection  and  anarchy  of  its  former  servile  dependents. 

But  it  may  be  a.skal  by  those  who  think,  elocution  canot  be 
taught;  What  relation  do  these  mcthcKlic  ])rinciplcs  of  taste,  bear 
to  the  spontiuicous,  and  self-directing  uses  of  speech  ?  And  why 
should  we  seek  the  a.sistancc  of  rules,  when  the  instinct  of  thot 


INTRODtrCTIOX.  65 

and  j)asic)n  uncringly  efcct  all  their  vocal  purposes  ?  For  it  is 
the  belief  of  those  who  canot  perceve  the  a})lication  of  analysis 
and  prcwjit  to  EUx'ution,  that  its  ])ower  consists  in  the  wonder- 
working of  'genius,'  and  in  proprieties  and  'graces  beyond  the 
reach  of  art/  So  seem  the  plainest  services  of  arithmetic  to  a 
savage ;  and  so,  to  the  slave,  seem  all  the  ways  of  music  which 
modern  art  has  so  acurately  pened,  as  to  time,  and  tune,  and 
momentary  grace.  Ignorance  knows  not  what  has  been  done ; 
indolence  thinks  nothing  can  be  done ;  and  both  uniting,  borow 
from  the  abused  eloquence  of  poetry,  an  aphorism  to  justify  supine- 
ness  of  inquir}'. 

It  is  readily  admited  of  elocution  as  of  the  other  esthetic  arts, 
that  a  full  analysis  of  its  constituents,  together  with  the  establish- 
ment of  a  system  of  principles  will  not  in  the  present  benighted 
state  of  the  mind,  always  exempt  it  from  abuse  or  ruin.  I  canot 
therefore,  refrain  from  rccomending  that  intelectual,  and  enlarging 
cultivation  of  the  instinct  of  the  voice,  which  must  insure  the 
highest  satisfaction,  while  the  art  remains  uncorupted;  and  which, 
bv  the  description  of  its  constituents  and  method,  will  aford  the 
best  means  for  any  needed  restoration. 

Perhaps  it  is  not  going  too  far,  to  sayj  the  art  of  speaking,  as 
ordained  by  nature,  and  defended  as  Avell  as  directed  by  the  adop- 
tion and  extension  of  her  ascertained  rules,  does  not  consist  of 
those  purposes  and  means,  that  arc  liable,  under  an  ambitioas  love 
of  change,  to  end  in  coruption.  Some  of  the  iine  arts  may  receve 
the  adition  of  Ornament,  properly  so  caled ;  which  in  its  exces, 
is  alas,  too  often  the  precursor  of  their  ruin;  and  which,  holding 
but  a  separate  relationship  to  its  subject  or  principal,  leaves  a  re- 
fined and  guarded  taste  to  order  the  degree  of  its  aplication,  or  its 
total  exclusion.  The  art  of  si)eaking  is  subject  to  no  such  con- 
ditions. The  representation  of  thot,  and  of  pasion  by  their  re- 
si)ective  vocal-signs,  is  fixed  in  their  amenity  by  an  unalterable 
instinctj  or  if  this  is  not  granted,  by  the  satisfactory  decisions  of 
universal  convention.  With  this  ordained  constitution  or  habit 
of  the  voice,  all  adition  to  the  numbered  signs  of  its  language  is 
redundancy,  and  all  misplaced  utenuice  Is  afwtiition. 

The  following  histoiy  of  the  voice  is  adresed  espccialy  to  those 
who  pursue  science  with  atention  and  perscveranccj  who  prefer  its 


66  INTRODUCTION. 

useful  acuracy,  to  its  ostentationj  who  are  satisfied  with  tlie  '  few, 
but  fit  audieucej'  and  who  know,  from  their  own  hapy  experience, 
that  exactnes  of  knowledge  is  the  bright  felicity  of  intelect.  To 
inquirers  of  this  character,  it  need  not  be  saidj  even  the  rapid  flight 
of  speech  may  be  more  easily  folowed,  when  the  general  principles 
that  direct  it  have  become  familiar.  The  hesitation  of  the  ear  will 
be  prompted  by  the  mind,  and  we  shall  more  readily  discern  what 
is,  by  knowing  what  ought  to  be. 

After  tlie  preceding  representation  of  our  limited  knowledge  of 
the  functions  of  the  voice,  and  upon  the  promises  of  a  more  ex- 
tended and  precise  analysis,  the  Reader  must  be  prepared  to  find 
in  the  following  essay,  a  new,  but  I  hope  not  a  distracting  nomen- 
clature. When  unamed  aditions  are  made  to  the  system  and  detail 
of  an  art,  terms  must  be  invented  for  them ;  and  even  when  its 
known  phenomena  are  exhibited  under  varied  relationships,  the 
purpose  of  description  is  less  perplexed  by  the  novelty  of  terms, 
than  by  an  atempt  to  give  another  application  or  meaning  to  former 
names. 

Many  of  the  varieties  of  pitch  being  acurately  designated  and 
clearly  aranged  in  musicj  a  part  of  its  nomenclature  is,  in  this 
esay,  transfered  to  the  description  of  speech ;  and  whenever  a  lan- 
guage has  been  purposely  framed,  I  have  endeavored  to  make  it, 
by  direct  or  metaphorical  use,  purely  explanatory  of  the  vocal 
functions. 

Although  I  have  gone  deeply  into  the  philosophical  history  of 
speech,,  and  have  spared  no  pains  in  ilustrating  whatever  might 
from  its  novelty,  be  otherwise  obscurej  I  have  not  pretcndal  to 
make  specific  aplication  of  all  the  principles  here  laid  down,  to 
every  case  of  the  reading  and  speaking  voice.  As  the  design  of 
this  esay  is,  to  promulgate  a  new  Institute  of  Ekxnition,  I  have 
proposed  to  acomodate  the  full  requisitions  of  the  subject,  to  the 
limitation  of  my  time,  by  brief  generalities  of  explanation  and  of 
method ;  which,  in  holding  the  light  of  instruction  broadly,  yet 
distinctly,  over  the  whole,  may  enable  others  to  percevc  tlie  rela- 
tionship of  the  })arts;  and  with  the  closer  and  more  particular 
hand  of  detail,  to  unite  in  purpose  for  the  completion  of  the  work. 
The  full  develo])ment  of  an  art,  in  all  its  practical  l)oarings,  can 
be  efected  only  by  the  united  labor  of  many,  and  of  their  lives. 


INTRODUCTION.  "  G7 

Here  is  the  result  of  the  leisure  of  about  three  years,  snatched 
from  the  daily  duty  of  extensive  profesional  ocupation.  If  in 
disfharfz;in<i;  the  duties  of  that  profesion,  I  have  selected  from  its 
physiological  department,  a  subject  of  inquiry  which  gives  its  ulti- 
mate services  in  another  art,  I  have  not  therein  overlooked  the 
bounteous  acts  of  Nature,  who  never  is  ungrateful  to  the  eyes  that 
watch  her,  and  still  may  have  her  secrets  in  the  human  frame,  yet 
to  be  told  for  the  instruction,  health,  or  hapiness  of  man ;  the 
future  search  after  which,  may  not  be  without  sucesj  and  will  not 
be,  without  the  satisfaction  experienced  in  conducting  these  ofered 
scrutinies  of  the  tongue  and  ear. 

The  reception  which  may  await  the  folowing  Work,  can  be  of 
no  important  interest  to  me.  By  taking  care  to  antedate  any  ex- 
pected sciison  of  its  })enalties  and  rewards,  I  have  already  found 
them  in  the  varied  perplexity  and  pleasure  of  its  acomplishment. 
I  leave  it  therefore  for  the  service  of  him,  who  may  in  future 
desire  to  read  the  natural  history  of  his  voice.  The  system  here 
presented  will  satisfy  much  of  his  curiosit}^ ;  for  I  feel  asured,  by 
the  result  of  the  rigid  method  of  observation  employed  thruout 
the  inquiry,  that  if  science  should  ever  come  to  one  consent  on 
this  point,  it  will  not  difer  esentialy  from  the  ensuing  record.  The 
world  has  long  a.sked  for  light  on  this  subject.  It  may  not  choose 
to  acept  it  now ;  but  having  idly  sufered  its  own  oportunity  for 
observation  to  go  by,  it  -must,  under  any  capricious  postponement, 
at  last  receve  it  here. 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  has  a  prety  thot,  on  the  labors  of  ambition 
and  the  choice  of  fame.  I  do  not  remember  his  words  exactly ; 
luit  he  figures  the  present  age  and  posterity  as  rivals,  and  those 
who  are  favored  l)y  the  one,  as  being  outcasts  from  the  other. 
This  condition,  while  it  alows  a  full  but  transient  satisfaction  to 
the  zeal  which  works  only  for  a  present  reward,  does  not  exclude 
all  prospect  from  those  who  are  contented  in  the  anticipation  of 
defered  succes.  Truth,  whose  first  steps  shud  be  always  vigorous 
and  alone,  is  often  obliged  to  lean  for  suport  and  progres  on  the 
arm  of  Time ;  who  then  only,  when  suporting  her,  seems  to  have 
laid  aside  his  wings. 

Philadelphia,  January,  1827. 


PHILOSOPHY 


OF 


THE  HUMAN  YOICE. 


SECTION   I. 

Oj  the  general  Divisions  of  Vocal  Sound :  with  a  more  particular 
acount  of  its  Pitch. 

All  the  constituents  of  the  human  voice,  may  be  refered  to  the 
five  folowing  modes : 

VOCAHLITY, 

FORCE, 

TIME, 

ABRUPTNESS, 

PITCH. 

The  detail  of  these  five  modes,  and  of  the  multiplied  combi- 
nation of  their  several  forms,  degrees,  and  varieties,  includes  the 
enumeration  of  all  the  Articulating  and  the  Expresive  powers  of 
speech. 

The  extension  of  knowledge  calls  for  an  aditional  nomenclature ; 
and  new  fa<;ts  and  principles  on  tlie  subject  of  the  voice,  will  require 
new  terms  for  the  description  and  arangement  of  them.  It  is 
therefore  proper  to  show,  how  far  comon  nomenclature  fulfils  the 
purpose  of  explanation  and  division ;  and  to  provide  the  mciuis 
by  which  an  obvious  deficiency  may  be  suplicd. 

The  terms  by  which  Vocality  or  the  Kind  of  voice  is  distin- 

(69) 


70  DIVISIONS   AXD    EXPLANATIONS. 

guished,  arej  rough,  smooth,  harsh,  full,  thin,  musical,  and  some 
others  of  the  same  metaphorical  character.  They  are  suficiently 
numerous ;  and  as  descriptive  as  posible,  without  reference  to  ex- 
.  amplar  sounds.  Vocalists  have  proposed  to  distinguish  the  singing 
voice,  by  its  resemblance  to  the  sound  of  the  reed,  the  string,  and 
the  musical-glass.  The  sub-animals  aford  analogies  to  the  diferent 
vocalities  in  the  human  voice.* 

For  the  specifications  of  Force,  we  use  the  wordsj  strong,  weak, 
loud,  forcible,  and  feeble.  These  are  indefinite  in  their  indication, 
and  without  a  fixed  measure  in  degree.  Music  has  more  orderly 
and  numerously  distinguished  the  varieties  of  force,  by  its  series 
of  terms  from  Pianisimo  to  Fortisimo.  I  shall,  in  its  proper 
place,  make  some  new  distinctions  in  the  maner  of  employing  this 
mode. 

Time,  in  speaking,  is  denoted  by  the  termsj  long,  short,  quick, 
slow,  and  rapid.  Music  has  a  more  precise  scale  of  relationship, 
in  its  order  of  signs  from  semibreve  to  double-demisemiquaver. 
The  single  or  unacompanied  sound  of  speech  does  not  call  for  that 
nicety  in  Time,  which  the  concerting  of  music  requires ;  yet  there 
is  need  of  more  precision  in  designating  its  degrees,  than  the  usual 
terms  of  prosody  aford.  Mr.  Steele  gives  examples  of  an  aplica- 
tion  of  the  symbols  of  music,  to  the  variable  time  of  discourse. 
I  shall  hereafter  make  a  division  of  this  mode,  with  reference  to 
English  sylables,  and  to  their  employment  in  speech. 

I  use  the  term  Abruptnes,  to  signify  the  suden  and  full  discharge 
of  sound,  as  contradistinguished  from  its  more  gradual  emision. 
Abruptnes  is  well  represented  by  the  explosive  notes  which  may 
be  executed  on  the  bassoon,  and  by  a  quick  touch  on  the  organ.  I 
have  given  this  mode  of  the  voice,  the  place  and  importance  of  a 
general  head,  not  only  as  an  expressive  agent  in  speec^h,  but  because 
its  characteristic  explosion  is  peculiar,  and  quite  distinct  from  the 

*  In  all  the  previous  editions  of  this  Work,  the  word  Quality  is  used  for 
what  is  here  called  Vocality.  But  this  volume  is  intended  to  be  the  first  part 
of  the  'Natural  Historj'  of  the  Intelect;'  and  as  the  term  quality  is  there 
aplied  exclusively  to  certain  powers  of  the  niindj  to  avoid  confusion  of  no- 
menclature, we  shall  hereafter  always  substitute  the  term  vocality  for  that  of 
qualit}' ;  and  perhaps  the  former  having  a  less  general  aplication  than  the 
latter,  is  more  apropriatc  to  that  audible  voice  which  is  distinguished  from 
whisper. 


DIVISIONS   AND    EXPLANATIONS.  71 

motle  of  Force ;  Avith  which,  from  its  admiting  degrees  of  intensity, 
it  nilt  seem  to  be  identical. 

The  variations  of  Pitch  in  the  speaking  voice,  are  denoted  by 
the  words;  rise  and  fall,  high  and  low,  acute  and  grave.  The 
vague  import  and  the  insuficiency  of  this  division  were  shown  in 
our  intnxluction  :  and  as  the  folowing  history  of  the  voice  makes 
especial  reference  to  this  mode,  and  gives  a  minute  detail  of  its 
numerous  forms  and  varieties,  it  is  necesary  to  adopt  a  more  ex- 
tended, and  more  definite  nomenclature. 

It  hapcned  well,  for  our  asistance  in  developing  the  phenomena 
of  si^eech,  that  most  of  the  forms  of  this  mode  were  long  ago 
observed,  analyzed,  and  named,  in  the  proper  science  of  music. 
Some  of  its  uses  however,  in  the  speaking  voice,  are  not  technicaly 
known  in  that  science.  For  these  I  have  made  a  language.  But 
most  of  the  constituents  of  the  musical  system,  tho  diferently  em- 
ployed, are  also  found  in  speech.  It  is  advisable  therefore,  to 
adopt  the  musical  terms  for  these  identical  functions :  as  they  are 
already  known  to  many,  and  may,  in  elementary  grammars,  be 
easily  learned  by  all ;  and  as  the  aplication  of  diferent  names,  to 
things  of  esential  resemblance,  M'ould  counteract  one  great  object 
of  philosophy ;  which  is,  to  include  all  similar  phenomena  under 
the  same  verbal  clases ;  notwithstanding  they  may  hapen  to  be 
separated,  by  place  and  name,  in  our  artificial  arangments.  In 
colecting  facts  from  Nature,  who  is  no  respecter  of  position  or 
title,  we  must  take  them  where  we  find  them,  and  class  them, 
just  as  they  agree.  I  shall  therefore  give  a  concise  acount  of  the 
terms  by  which  the  forms  of  Pitch  are  distinguished  in  music. 

In  entering  upon  this  elementary  and  important  explanation, 
wherein  a  recognition  of  certain  diferenccs  of  sound  is  absolutely 
necesary  for  properly  com})rehcnding  the  subsequent  parts  of  this 
Workj  I  must  beg  the  Reader  not  to  be  discouraged  by  temporary 
dificulty.  He  who  has  been  taught  the  principles  of  instrumental 
or  of  vocal  music,  and  is  able  to  execute  acurately  what  is  caled 
the  Scale  or  Gamuts  will  recognize  the  following  descriptions, 
without  much  hesitation.  He  who  is  ignorant  of  tlie  relations  of 
musical  sounds,  and  of  the  regular  scale  by  which  they  have  been 
arangal,  must  on  this,  as  on  so  many  other  subjects  of  instruction 
which  need  perceptible  ilustration,  have  recourse  to  a  Teacher. 


72  DIVISIONS  AND   EXPLANATIONS. 

He  can  generaly  find  at  hand,  instrumental  performers,  or  singing 
masters,  or  the  clerk  of  some  neighboring  church,  who  will  ex- 
emplify to  his  satisfaction  all  that  is  merely  descriptive  here. 

The  Reader  is  not  refered  indiscriminately,  to  musicians  and 
singers,  for  asistance  in  his  aplication  of  the  principles  of  music 
to  the  analysis  of  speech.  The  system  of  mechanical  formality 
to  which  many  of  them  have  in  a  great  degree  circumscribed  their 
views,  together  with  the  wasteful  industry  of  their  perpetual  prac- 
tice upon  dificulties  has,  generaly  speaking,  so  limited  their  per- 
ceptive faculty,  that  the  most  striking  analogy  in  other  things,  to 
points  of  their  own  art,  is  rarely  first  observed  by  them ;  but  they 
know  well  their  daily  practical  rotine.  To  them  therefore  the 
Reader  is  refered,  for  exemplification  of  a  technical  nomenclature, 
which  I  have  here,  only  the  means  of  words  and  diagram  to 
explain. 

For  an  elementary  acount  of  the  mathematical  and  mechanical 
investigation  of  the  formal  causes  of  Sound,  the  Reader  is  refered 
to  writers  on  Acoustics.  By  them,  the  whole  of  its  phenomena 
have  been  asigned  to  two  general  divisions :  Noise,  formed  by 
Iregularj  and  Musical  or  Tunable  sound,  by  Regular,  vibrations. 
It  is  dificult  however,  to  draw  an  exact  line  of  separation  between 
these  divisions;  since  even  noise,  when  continued,  has,  however 
rude  and  obscure,  a  certain  kind  of  musical  capaoility,  and  may 
have  more  or  less  of  an  awkward  variation  in  pitch.  But  the 
obvious  diferences  in  the  two  cases,  are  suficient  for  the  purposes 
of  this  esay ;  tho  we  shall  hardly  refer  to  the  efect  of  noise,  ex- 
cept in  designating  those  remarkable  and  deafening  asaults  upon 
the  ear,  by  the  combined  vociferations,  and  instrumental  crashes 
of  a  full-asembled  Opera-Chorus.  Coresponding  to  the  above 
distinctions,  I  shall  regard  sound  as  Tunable,  and  Untunable ; 
and  shall  consider  the  former,  projierly  including  vocal  and  instru- 
mento-musical  sound. 

As  Speech  and  Music,  when  regarded  under  the  Mode  of  into- 
nation, are  subdivisions  of  the  Geneml  Science  of  Tunable  Sound, 
the  Reader  will  pcrceve  the  necesity  of  designating  and  explain- 
ing those  terms  which  belong  alike  to  both ;  or  are  restrictively 
apropriated  to  each. 

The  term  Pitch  is  aplied  to  the  variations  of  tunable  sound, 


DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS.  73 

between  its  lowest  and  its  highest  apreciable  degree.  This  varia- 
tion between  gravity  and  acutenes,  is  represented  in  the  human 
voice,  bv  the  two  extremes  of  hoarsenes  and  s<'rcaming. 

The  diferent  degrees  oi'  l*itch  in  music  are  denoted  by  what  is 
caled  the  Scale  ;  the  formation  of  which  may  be  thus  ikistrated. 

AVhen  the  bow  is  drawn  acras  a  string  of  a  Violin,  and  the 
finger  at  the  same  time  gradualy  moved,  with  continued  pressure 
on  the  string,  from  its  lower  attachment  to  any  distance  upwards, 
a  mewing  sound,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  is  heard.  This  mewing  is 
caused  by  the  gradual  change  from  gravity  to  acutenes,  thru  the 
gradual  shortening  of  the  string :  and  as  it  rises  by  a  sucesion  of 
uninterupted  momentary  changes,  each  continuous  or  concreted, 
as  it  were,  in  its  increments  of  time  and  of  motion,  I  shall  call  it 
Concrete  sound.  This  movement  of  pitch,  on  the  violin,  is  termed 
a  Slide.  ^ 

The  Reader  may  himself  exemplify  this  concrete  sound,  by 
utering  the  single  sylable  aye,  as  if  he  were  asking  a  question 
with  the  expresion  of  earnest  surprise,  yet  rather  deliberately ; 
begining  at  the  lowest,  and  ending  at  the  highest  limit  of  his 
voice.  The  gradual  rising-movement  in  this  case  is  continuous 
or  concrete :  yet  as  the  voice,  and  any  other  tunable  sound  may 
be  continued  in  one  uninterupted  movement  upon  the  same  line 
of  pitch,  without  rising  or  falingj  it  is  to  be  remarked  that  the 
term  Concrete  is  in  this  esay  aplied  only  to  an  uninterupted 
movement  in  a  rising,  and  in  afaling  direction. 

Now,  the  sounds  of  what  is  called  the  Scale,  in  Music,  do  not 
rise  in  a  conected  or  concrete  movement.  They  are  made,  by 
drawing  the  bow,  only  while  the  finger  is  held  stationary  at  cer- 
tain sucesive  places  on  the  string :  showing  an  interuption  of  the 
continuous  u])ward  slide.  These  places  are  seven  in  number ; 
their  distances  from  each  other  being  determined  under  a  natural 
law,  and  rcndero<l  precisely  measurable  by  a  scientific  rule  for 
subdividing  the  string,  which  we  need  not  consider  here.  Other 
sounds  still  ascending  on  the  string  above  the  places  of  tliese 
seven,  may  be  made  by  a  similar  interuptcd  jirogrcsion.  But  as 
the  second  series  of  seven  sounds,  of  higiier  pitch,  yet  adjusted  by 
the  same  rulej  do  each  to  each  in  order,  so  nearly  accord  in  rela- 
tionship with  the  first  seven,  as  seemingly  to  be  a  repetition  of 
6 


74 


DIVLSIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 


®  14 


13 


9  12 


TX 


•  ll 


10 


O    9 


^    7 


^i- 


u 


O     3 


^ 


IJ 


them ;  and  the  same  being  true  of  all  the  series  of  seven,  formed 
between  the  lowest  and  the  highest  limit  of  sound j 
the  whole  extent  of  variation  in  acutenes  and 
gravity,  is  regarded  as  consisting  of  the  simple 
scale  of  seven  sounds,  repeated  in  diferent  series 
or  places  of  pitcli. 

If  we  supose  the  sound  at  each  place  of  the 
scale  to  be  prolonged  on  the  same  line  of  pitch, 
so  to  distinguish  it  from  the  concrete  change,  it 
may  be  caled  a  level  or  protracted  line  of  sound. 

On  the  margin,  a  diagram  represents  the  places 
where  we  supose  the  string  to  be  presed,  and  the 
level  line  of  pitch  to  be  made,  when  the  bow  is 
drawn :  the  black  disks  on  the  line,  at  the  places 
of  two  of  the  repeated  series  of  seven  sounds, 
being  marked  numericaly :  the  initials  T  and  S, 
respectively  denoting  the  terms.  Tone  and  Semi- 
tone, which  will  presently  be  explained. 

Upon  comparing  this  picture  with  the  above 
acount  of  the  production  of  concrete  sound,  and 
suposing  the  concrete  progresion  upon  the  string 
to  be  represented  by  the  continuous  vertical  line 
of  the  diagram,  on  which  these  numerical  places 
are  marked  by  the  disksj  it  is  obvious,  that  por- 
tions of  the  concrete  must  be  unheard,  when  the 
bow  is  drawn,  only  while  the  finger  is  stationary 
at  the  several  places.  The  sounds  separately  pro- 
duced at  these  places,  with  an  omision  of  the  inter- 
mediate concrete,  I  shall  call  J}iscrete  Sounds. 
These,  when  heard  succsively  in  a  given  order, 
as  represented  by  the  diagram,  constitute  a  Dis- 
crete Scale* 

The  explanation  here  given  of  the  maner  of 

*  This  continuity  and  this  disjunction  of  the  line  of  pitch  are  known  to  most 
musicians,  only  under  the  respective  names  of  Slide,  and  Skip.  The  terms 
concrete  and  discrete,  as  here  aplied,  are  borowed  from  mathematics ;  in  which 
science  they  designate  the  two  great  generic  divisions  of  quantity.  Magni- 
tude being  the  concrete  quantity  ;  for  the  lines,  surfaces,  and  solids  which 
constitute  it,  have  their  respective  parts,  so  to  speak,  concreted  or  united  imedi- 


DrV^ISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS.  75 

concrete  and  discrete  progresions,  in  an  npward  direction  aj>lies 
to  those  of  the  downward  course,  under  a  reverse  movement  of  the 
gra(hial  slide,  and  of  the  interupted  sound,  on  the  strinj^. 

The  variations  of  pitch  on  most  musical  instruments  are  discrete. 
The  violin  and  its  species  derive  much  of  their  expresive  power, 
from  beino;  susceptible  of  the  concrete  movement;  and  it  is  one  of 
the  great  sources,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter,  of  Expresion  m  the 
human  voice. 

The  several  places  at  which  we  supose  the  sounds  to  be  made  in 
the  discrete  progresion,  are  numericaly  designated  in  the  diagram, 
and  are  caled  the  Places,  Points,  or  Degrees  of  the  scale.  Any 
two  degrees  are,  by  relative  position,  called  Proximate,  when  they 
are  next  to  each  other ;  and  Remote,  when  they  include  more  than 
proximate  degrees  between  them. 

The  distance  between  any  two  points  in  the  scale,  either  proxi- 
mate or  remote,  is  caled  an  Interval.  A  musical  interval  was  by 
the  Greeks,  defined  to  be  a  '  quantitj^  of  a  certain  kind,  terminated 
by  a  graver  and  an  acuter  sound.'  But  for  particular  aplication 
to  speech,  it  is  necesar}'  to  regard  that  quantity  as  either  continu- 
ous sound,  or  imaginary  space;  and  to  consider  the  efect  of  the 
transit  of  the  voice  from  one  degree  of  the  scale  to  another,  as 
constituting  an  interv'al,  whether  the  voice  is  concretely  heard,  or 
discretely  omited  between  them.  The  intervals  in  their  proximate: 
order,  are  mea.sured  as  follows  :* 

The  interval,  or  the  quantity  of  concrete  voice,  either  heard,  or 
omited,  between  the  first  and  the  second  places,,  numbered  in  the 
diagram,  is  called  a  Tone.'f 

atoly  with  each  other:  whereas  Number  is  the  discrete  quantity  ;  the  distinct., 
sucesion  of  its  constituent  units  being  altogether  diferent  from  the  above 
described  continuity. 

The  most  familiar  ilustration  of  these  terms,  aplied  to  the  two  kinds  of 
quantity  in  musical  sound,  is  furnished  by  the  form  of  a  lader,  the  side  rails 
representing  the  concrete,  and  thfl  rrvunds  the  discrete. 

*  The  well-informed  Reader  shjould.  regard  this  general  view  of  the  scale, 
and  the  manor  of  its  ilustration,  %vitb  a  th(!>lfulnes  of  my  design.  I  omit  the 
theoretic  distinction  of  greater  and  leser  tone,  of  diatonic  and  chromatic  semi- 
tone, and  of  the  nuijor  and  minor  scale,  together  with  other  particulars,,  both 
melodinl  and  harmoniC;}  with  an  intention  to  notice  only  what  is- preparatory 
to  the  description  of  speech. 

f  The  Header  must  bear  in  mind,  that  the  word  tune  in  tliis  ELjay,  desig- 


76  DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 

That  between  the  second  and  third  is  likewise  a  tone. 

That  between  the  third  and  fourth,  which  apears  in  the  diagram 
as  lialf  the  space  of  a  tone,  is  called  a  Semitone. 

The  interval  between  the  fourth  and  fifth,  fifth  and  sixth,  sixth 
and  seventh,  is  each  a  tone ;  and  lastly,  that  between  the  seventh, 
and  the  eighth  or  first  of  the  next  series,  a  semitone. 

The  intervals  between  the  degrees  of  the  scale,  either  proximate 
or  remote,  are  designated  numericaly ;  the  extreme  degrees  being  in- 
clusively counted.  From  the  second  to  the  third,  or  from  the  sixth 
to  the  seventh,  is  the  interval  of  a  second  or  tone ;  from  the  second 
to  the  sixth,  or  from  the  fourth  to  the  eighth,  is  the  interval  of  a 
fifth.  And  so  of  the  rest;  the  numerical  name  of  any  interval  being 
the  same,  when  taken  in  an  upward,  or  in  a  downward  direction. 

The  several  discrete  sounds  of  the  scale  are  here  named  acording 
to  their  ordinal  number ;  yet  the  first,  relatively  to  its  rising  series, 
is  generaly  called  the  Key-note.  Consequently,  in  two  or  more 
series  of  scales,  the  eighth  sound,  or  Octave  as  it  is  called,  of  the 
preceding  is  always  the  key-note  of  the  suceding  scale ;  as  in  the 
vertical  diagram,  the  sound  at  the  eighth  place  is  the  octave  of 
the  first  series,  and  the  key-note  of  the  second. 

The  sucesion  of  the  seven  sounds  of  any  one  series,  to  which  the 
octave  is  usualy  aded,  is  called  the  Natural  or  Diatonic  Scale.  It 
consists  of  five  tones  and  two  semitones ;  the  latter  being  the  in- 
tervals between  its  third  and  fourth,  and  its  seventh  and  eighth 
degrees.  The  scale  then  contains  these  several  kinds  of  intervals j 
a  semitone ;  a  second,  or  whole  tone ;  a  third ;  fourth ;  fifth ; 
sixth ;  seventh  ;  and  octave. 

nates  only  a  certain  interval  of  pitch;  tho  comon  language  aplics  it  alike  to 
pitch,  vocality,  force  and  time;  as  in  the  phrases  'high  and  low  tones  of  the 
voice,'  '  musical,  rustic  and  silver  tones;'  '  an  emphatic  or  loud  tone  ;'  and  a 
'deliberate,  quick  and  drav/ling  tone.'  Even  music,  with  all  its  scientific 
'precision,  is  not  free  from  slight  confusion  on  this  point.  For  while  it  em- 
ploys the  word  tone,  for  that  interval  to  which  we  restrict  its  use,  it  also  desig- 
nates vocality,  in  the  terms,  '  tone  of  the  flute,'  and  of  other  instruments,  and 
the  '  pure  tone'  of  the  vocalist.  The  French  word  timbre,  corcsponding  to 
•  our  vocality,  and  sometimes  aplied  to  the  voice,  would,  in  comon  English 
ipronunciation,  soon  get  into  downright  ship  timber.  Let  us  not  be  '  frightened 
at  the  sound  ourselves  have  made,'  but  call  this  mode  of  the  voice,  by  the 
plain  English  term  vocality  ;  tho  timid  rccolccting,  it  comes  from  a  word  used 
by  Cicero  and  Quinctillian. 


DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS.  77 

By  the  diagi-ani,  the  interval  between  the  second  and  fourth 
degrees  is  numeriealy  a  third,  yet  contains  but  one  tone  and  a 
semitone ;  whereas,  from  the  conservation  of  the  scale,  that  be- 
tween the  first  and  third  degrees,  still  numeriealy  the  interval  of 
a  tiiird,  contains  two  whole  tones.  From  this  difcrence  in  con- 
stituency, and  extent,  the  former  is  caled  a  Elinor  Third,  and  the 
later  a  Major  Third.  But  the  minor  third  never  being  used  in 
corect  S})eech,  the  term  Third  will  in  this  Work,  except  where 
the  minor  is  specified,  always  refer  to  the  major  interval. 

Plaving  described  the  construction  of  the  Musical  Scale,  I  here 
advise  the  Reader,  who  may  not  be  a  musician,  and  who  may  be 
ignorant  of  the  efect  of  the  sounds  of  that  scalej  to  ask,  from  some 
qualified  master,  an  audible  example  of  its  upward  and  downward 
progresion,  and  of  its  several  intervals.  This  the  teacher  will 
give,  under  that  practical  exercise  on  the  scale,  caled  in  the  lan- 
guage of  vocal  science,  Solfaing.  Let  the  Reader  studiously  imi- 
tate this  exemplification,  and  comit  it  to  memory.  If  destitute  of 
what  is  caled  a  musical  ear,  let  him  not  think  himself  unable  to 
discriminate  those  intervals,  which  he  has  now  learned  to  be  a  part 
of  music.  In  comunities  where  the  cultivation  of  this  art  is  gen- 
eral, these  things  are  all  learned,  by  thousands  who,  Avith  their 
natural  ear,  would  never  have  caut  the  simplest  phrase  of  a  popular 
song.  And  surely  there  is  no  one,  into  whose  hands  this  book  will 
ever  fall,  who  can  posibly  avoid  perceving  the  several  diferences 
of  meaning,  or  expresion,  in  the  speaking  voicej  when  he  is 
adressed  in  the  language  of  narative,  surprise,  complaint,  authority, 
or  interogation.  Now  these  various  expresive  efects  are  perceptible 
to  him,  and  acurately  so,  only  as  concrete  or  discrete  movements 
of  the  voice  thru  certain  apropriate  intervals  of  the  scale.  His 
ear  therefore  does  realy  recognize  these  movementsj  these  intervals 
of  the  speaking  scale.  I  only  give  to  his  mental  perception  and 
his  tongue,  their  musical  method  and  names. 

When  an  instructor  canot  be  met  with,  the  use  of  a  well-tuned 
Piano-Forte  may  asist  those  who  have  no  acquaintance  with  the 
scale.  On  the  key-board  of  this  instrument  there  is  a  front  row 
of  white  keys,  as  they  are  called,  and  a  rear  row  of  black  ones. 
A  representation  of  their  forms  ^md  pasitions,  is  given  in  the  fol- 
owing  diagram ;   where  a  portion  of  the  Greai  Scale;  or  its  its 


78 


DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 


whole  extent  is  caled,  the  Compas  of  the  instniraentj  is  shown ; 
the  white  keys  being  numbered  above,  in  continuation  as  far  as 
twenty-one ;  and  below,  in  a  repeated  series  of  seven. 


1        2       r!      4       5         fi      7      K       9       10     11*1-2     V^    14    l.".     Ifi     17    IS     19      20     21 


llllllllllllllll  II 


12     3     4     5     6     7.1     2     3     4     5     6     7.1     2     3     4     5     6     7 


Any  one  of  the  series  of  seven  white  keys,  of  which  there  are 
three  in  the  diagram^  Avhen  struck  sucesively  ascending  from  left 
to  right,  gives  the  seven  discrete  rising  sounds  of  the  diatonic  scale. 
The  black  keys  are  set  between  the  white  ones,  to  divide  the  whole 
tones  into  semitones.  Hence,  the  black  keys  are  wanting  at  the 
semitonic  intervals  of  the  scale,  where  their  purpose  canot  apply. 
This  omision  visibly  separates  the  black  keys  alternately  into  pairs 
and  triplets. 

With  the  foregoing  explanation,  the  Reader  can  have  no  dificulty 
in  finding  a  diatonic  series  on  the  white  keys  of  a  Piano-Forte ;  the 
key-note  or  begining  of  the  series  always  being  next  below  the  pair 
of  black  keys.  Let  him  then,  on  that  series  which  suits  the  pitch 
of  his  speaking  voice,  uter  one  of  the  vowels  or  any  of  its  sylabic 
*  combinations,  in  unison  with  the  instrumental  sounds,  both  in  their 
proximate  sucesion  of  a  tone,  and  in  the  wider  transitions  between 
remote  degrees  of  the  scale j  till  the  whole  is  familiar  to  his  ear, 
and  at  the  call  of  memory.  It  is  true,  the  Piano-Forte  can  show 
him  only  the  discrete  movements  of  pitch.  When  these  are  coni- 
zable,  and  under  comand,  the  concrete  may  readily  be  measural  by 
them. 

The  level,  or  protracted  sound  at  any  of  the  places  of  the  dis- 
crete scale,  is  called  a  Note.  This  term  notey  is  to  be  carefuly  dis- 
tinguished from  that  of  Tone,  which  as  before  stated,  signifies  not 
a  level  line  of  sound,  but  a  rising  or  faling  interval  of  yiitch ;  and 
in  this  csay,  is  aplied,  either  to  the  concrete  transit  of  the  voice 
between  any  two  adjoining  degrees,  except  those  bounding  a  semi- 


DIVISIONS   AND    EXPLANATIONS.  79 

tone,  or  to  the  amount  of  space  between  such  degrees,  when  the 
transit  is  discrete. 

As  the  term  tone  is  used  for  the  interval  of  a  second,  under  tlie 
two  conditions  of  concrete  and  discrete  j)itch,  so  are  the  terms  of 
other  intervals  included  between  remote  degrees ;  for  the  voice  may 
move  concretely  thru  these  intervals,  or  notes  may  be  made  at 
their  bounding  degrees,  with  the  omision  of  the  concrete.  Let 
us  call  the  former  of  tliese  conditions.  Concrete  Intervals,  and  the 
latter,  Disei'de  Intervals:  one  being,  figuratively,  a  rising  or  faling 
stream  of  voice,  the  other  a  voiceles  space. 

The  Jirst,  third,  and  fifth  notes- of  the  diatonic  scale,  to  which  the 
octave,  as  a  concording  repetition  of  the  first  is  usualy  aded,  difer 
from  the  other  notes  in  being  more  agreeable  to  the  ear  when  heard 
in  combination,  and  in  imediate  sucesion.  The  degrees  in  this 
order,  are  also  more  readily  'hit'  by  an  inexperienced  voice,  in  an 
endeavor  to  execute  the  several  discrete  intervals  of  the  scale :  and 
that  simple  instrument  the  Jews-harp,  and  some  species  of  the 
Horn  more  readily  yield  these  sucesive  notes,  under  the  faltering 
atempts  of  a  learner.  When  therefore  the  pupil  takes  his  leson 
on  the  scale,  let  him  familiarize  his  ear  to  the  sucesion  of  its  first, 
third,  fifth  and  octave  notes ;  omiting  the  intermediate  degrees. 
Frequent  reference  will  be  made  hereafter,  to  his  perceptions  on 
this  point. 

I  give  a  representation  of  the  maner  in  which  musicians  set 
their  symbols  for  the  diatonic  sounds,  on  that  linear  Table  caled 
the  Staff.  The  staff  consists  of  five  horizontal  and  paralel  lines, 
having  four  spaces  between  them.  Each  space  and  line  represents 
a  degree  of  the  scale ;  so  that  from  one  space  or  line  to  the  next 
line  or  space,  is  a  second ;  and  these  degrees  are  caled  conjoint  or 
proximate.     When  the  discrete  movement  is  over  a  wider  interval 


than  a  second,  it  is  caled  a  SJcip  ;  and  the  degrees  are  said  to  be 
Remote.     The  sucesion  of  the  scale  is  here  marked  by  disks,  rising 


80  DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 

from  the  lowest  line  to  the  highest  space  of  the  staff;  the  intervals 
of  the  semitones  being  designated  by  a  brace. 

I  have  thus  described  the  continuous  or  Concrete  movement  of 
sound ;  and  its  discrete  or  interupted  progresion  on  the  diatonic 
scale. 

As  there  are  but  two  semitones  in  the  scale,  it  is  necesary,  for 
the  accomodation  of  instruments  with  fixed  keys,  to  subdivide  the 
whole  tones.     The  manner  of  the  subdivision  is  here  described.* 

In  any  series  of  seven  notes,  as  the  first  marked  in  the  pre- 
ceding vertical  diagram  of  the  scale,  and  in  that  of  the  white 
keys  of  the  key-board,  let  us  asume  for  this  subdivision  of  whole 
tones,  the  Fifth,  as  the  first  or  key-note  of  a  new  order.  This 
with  its  octave,  will  extend  to  the  place  numbered  twelve.  Six 
of  its  places  in  their  rising  order  of  notes,  from  five  to  ten,  will 
have  right  positions ;  and  so  far,  the  intervals  of  tone  and  semi- 
tone will  exhibit  the  proper  sucesions  of  the  diatonic  scale.  But 
the  interval  between  the  tenth  and  eleventh  is  a  semitone,  and 
that  between  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  a  tone ;  whereas,  by  the 
rule  for  constructing  the  scale,  the  order  should  be  revei'sed.  For 
the  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  notes  marked  in  the  diagrams, 
are  respectively  the  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  of  the  new  order, 
asumed  from  the  fifth.  When  therefore  the  tone,  or  interval 
from  eleven  to  twelve,  is  subdivided  into  two  semitones,  as  shown 
by  a  cross  in  the  vertical  diagram,  and  by  a  black  key  below  the 
star  in  that  of  the  key-boardj  and  the  transit  is  then  made  from 
the  tenth  place,  to  this  point  of  division^  two  semitones,  making 
one  whole  tone,  are  pased  over ;  the  interval  from  this  point  of 
division  to  the  twelfth  is  a  semitone,  and  the  constituent  intervals 
of  the  diatonic  scale  in  this  new  order,  are  obtained. 

To  continue  a  subdivision  of  the  whole  tones  of  the  scale,  by 

*  The  Reader  having  learned  above,  the  form,  and  places  of  the  semitone, 
it  is  not  esential  that  he  should  strictly  atend  to  the  detailed  explanation,  in 
the  two  folowing  paragraphs  ;  for  most  of  it  is  not  aplicablo  to  speech.  I  say 
this,  only  in  reference  to  his  finding  it  dificult.  In  leting  him  know,  there  is 
a  sucesion  of  degrees,  called  the  Semitonic  Scale,  I  describe  the  maner  of  its 
construction  ;  for  with  a  knowledge  of  this,  his  views  of  the  relations  between 
Music  and  Speech  will  be  more  extended  and  precise.  Let  him  then  learn  it, 
if  not  too  troublesomoj  being  mindful  to  read  the  last  two  sentences  of  the 
second  paragraph. 


DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS.  81 

risiuf/  a  fifth  on  the  previous  order,  wocl  soon  carr}'  us  beyond  tlie 
limit  of  our  diagrams.  We  must  observe,  that  the  fifth  above  a 
key-note,  liolds  the  same  relative  position  in  a  scale,  as  the  fourth 
below  it.  If  then,  for  the  key-note  of  a  third  order,  we  take  the 
fifth  above  the  key-note  of  the  second  order,  or  the  fourth  below  it, 
they  will  be  respectively  the  ninth  and  the  second  of  the  diagrams ; 
and  these  are  considered  the  same,  because  they  each  have  the 
like  position  of  second  in  the  two  orders,  of  the  key-board.  A 
subdivision  of  the  whole  tone,  between  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth, 
on  the  key-board,  if  the  fifth  above  is  taken,  or  between  the 
eighth  and  ninth  if  the  fourth  belowj  will,  with  the  subdivision 
in  the  preceding  order,  give  the  constituent  diatonic  intervals  of 
this  third  order.  And  progresively,  by  taking  the  fifth  above  the 
key-note  of  the  previous  order,  or  the  fourth  below  itj  and  using 
the  previous  subdivisions,  every  place  of  the  scale  may  become  the 
first  of  an  order ;  and  every  whole  tone  may  thereby  be  divided, 
as  shown  by  the  black  keys  in  the  diagram  of  the  key-board. 
This  division  produces  a  series  of  semitones.  When  therefore  the 
progresion  is  made  by  them,  the  order  of  degrees  is  called  the 
Semitonic,  or  more  comonly  the  Chromatic  Scale. 

It  is  necesary  for  the  future  history  of  speech,  that  the  sucesion 
of  discrete  sounds  should  be  exhibited  under  still  more  reduced 
divisions.  These  consist  in  a  discrete  transition  over  the  scale,  by 
intervals  much  smaler  than  a  semitone;  each  point  being  as  it 
were,  rapidly  touched  by  a  momentary  and  abrupt  emision  of 
voice.  This  description  may  be  ilustrated  by  the  maner  of  that 
noise  in  the  throat  caled  gurgling,  and  by  the  neighing  of  a  horee. 
The  analogy  here  regards  princii)ally  the  momentary  duration, 
frequency,  and  abruptnes  of  sound ;  for  the  gurgling  is  generaly 
made  by  a  quick  iteration  on  one  unvarj'ing  or  level  line  of  pitch. 
In  the  scale  now  under  consideration,  each  sucesive  pulse  of  sound 
is  taken  at  a  Minute  Discrete-interval  above  the  last,  till  the  series 
reaches  the  octave.  We  canot  tell  the  precise  extent  of  this  minute 
interval,  nor  the  number  of  pulses  in  given  portions  of  the  scale ; 
since  this  function  is  executed  in  a  maner,  and  with  a  ra})idity  that 
eludes  discrimination.  Nor  is  this  point  material  now.  My  pur- 
pose requires  it  to  be  known,  that  the  voice  may  rise  and  fall,  with 
short  and  abrupt  iterations,  thru  the  several  intervals  of  pitch,  by 


82  DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 

discrete  steps,  less  than  a  semitone.  Whether  the  discrete  space 
is  that  fractional  part  of  a  tone  caled  a  comma,  or  some  division  or 
multiple  of  it,  we  leave  to  be  determined  by  other  means  than  that 
of  the  ear  alone.  Let  us  then  call  this  species  of  movement,  the 
Tremulous  Scale. 

We  have  described  four  kinds  of  progresion  in  pitch ;  and 
in  speaking  of  the  concrete,  its  slide  was  not  caled  a  scale,  since 
its  unbroken  line  has  no  analogy  with  the  interupted  steps  of  a 
discrete  sucesion ;  yet  with  a  full  comprehension  of  its  construc- 
tion, there  can  be  no  objection  to  its  being  so  called. 

The  human  voice  has  then  Four  scales  of  pitch.  The  Concrete; 
in  which,  from  the  outset  to  the  termination  of  the  voice,  either  in 
rismg  or  faling,  there  is  no  apreciable  interval,  or  interuption  of 
continuity. 

The  Diatonic;  wherein  the  discrete  transitions  are  principaly 
by  whole  tones. 

The  Chromatic  ;  consisting  of  a  discrete  sucesion  of  semitones : 
and. 

The  Tremulous  ;  which  with  its  momentary  impulses,  separated 
from  each  other  by  very  minute  intervalsj  has  never,  as  far  as  I 
am  aware,  been  employed  on  musical  instruments,  in  an  upward 
and  a  downward  progresion ;  the  tremolo  being  a  tremor  on  a 
straight  line  of  pitch ;  and  the  Trill  or  Shake  being  as  will  be 
shown  hereafter,  a  totaly  distinct  function. 

The  extent  of  the  speaking  voice  on  any  of  these  four  scales, 
within  the  limits  of  distinct  articulation,  is  caled  the  Compas  of 
Speech.* 

*  There  is  a  musical  scale,  described  by  the  Greeks,  but  used  only  at  an 
early  period,  caled  the  Enharmonic ;  which  however,  has  no  relation  to  the 
natural  system  of  speech  ;  yet  from  the  term  '  Enharmonic  voice,'  employed 
without  explanation  by  Dionysius  Thrax,  a  Greek  grammarian,  who  lived 
shortly  before  the  Christian  craj  it  seems  to  have  been  infored,  that  the  spoken 
intonation  of  the  Ancients  was  somehow  formed  on  this  scale :  and  tho  Mr. 
Steele  suffered  his  observation  to  be  so  far  overruled*  by  the  vague  autliority  of 
this  inference,  as  to  give  the  diagram  of  his  j)roposed  scale  with  what  he  calls 
an  enharmonic  di vision j  perhaps  a  short  acount  of  tliis  division,  may  convince 


*  I  have  made  this  word  an  cxcoptlon  to  the  exclusion  of  donblo  consonants,  for  tlie  division  is 
here  sylubic  and  properly  pronounced  over-ruled,  not  over-uled :  and  it  is  tho  same  witli  words  of 
like  construction. 


DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS.  83 

For  the  purpose  of  exjjlanation,  the  scales  have  been  represented 
separately ;   yet  in  the  practice  of  the  voice  they  are  variously 

the  Render,  as  we  procede,  that  it  could  not  have  been  employed  in  the  proper 
intonation  of  what  we  shall  consider  Natural  speech. 

The  Greek  musical  scale  consisted  of  only  three  intervals,  embraced  between 
four  degrees,  as  marked  by  the  strings  of  their  instruments,  and  was  therefore 
cajed  the  Tetrachord.  The  moderns  have  made  their  scale  an  Octachord,  or 
Octave,  by  joining  two  sucesive  Greek  scales,  with  a  tone  between  them:  for 
in  our  octave,  from  C  to  F,  and  again  from  G  to  C,  each  of  the  two  sets  of 
four  degrees,  has  the  like  order  of  their  constituent  tones  and  semitones ;  show- 
ing that  the  tetrachord  scale  is  just  half  of  ours.  Our  music  employs  but 
one  proper  scale,  the  diatonic  ;  for  the  chromatic  is  not  an  independent  one, 
on  which  a  melody  can  be  made  with  its  semitones  alone;  but  is  formed,  for 
ocasional  use,  by  dividing  the  whole  tonesj  that  the  semitones  may  be  em- 
ployed in  other  places,  than  the  two  which  are  proper  to  them,  in  the  natural 
diatonic  sucesion.  Neither  in  music  nor  in  song,  do  we  technicaly  recognize 
the  Concrete  and  the  Tremulous  Scales  :  and  it  was  the  same  with  the  Greeks. 

The  Greek  writers  describe  six  diferent  scales  ;  three  chromatic  ;  two  dia- 
tonic ;  and  one  enharmonic,  formed  respectively,  by  certain  subdivisions  of 
the  scale  into  intervals  of  different  extent.  For  ilustration  however,  we  will 
describe  only,  what  they  caled  the  Intense  diatonic,  and  the  Enharmonic. 
Supose  the  Tetrachord  to  be  divided  into  sixty  parts  ;  and  let  C,  D,  E  and  F 
be  the  places,  or  degrees,  including  its  three  intervals ;  24  to  represent  the 
tone  ;  12  the  semitone  ;  and  6  the  quarter-tone,  caled  diesis,  or  the  enharmonic 
interval.  The  Intense-diatonic  Tetrachord,  which  is,  when  doubled,  and 
united  by  a  tone,  the  same  we  now  emplqyj  was  aranged  as  folows  : 


Tone.  D  Tone.  E         Semitone. 

24  24  12 

The  Enharmonic  tetrachord : 


C  Ditone.  D  Diesis.  E  Diesis.  F 

48  6  6 

Now  as  48,  the  double  of  24,  make  two  tones  ;  and  six,  the  fourth  or  quarter 
of  24,  the  diesis ;  the  enharmonic  arangement  is  that  of  a  ditone  or  major 
third  and  two  sucesive  quarter-tones. 

The  Greeks  themselves  state,  that  the  musical  use  of  this  scale  was  very 
dificult ;  and  in  later  times  was  altogether  laid  aside:  neither  of  which,  as 
cause  or  consequence,  could  have  ocured  if  there  had  been  a  natural  character 
in  it;  for  certainly,  a  continued  tune  on  a  sucesion  of  its  intervals  would, 
to  a  modern  and  natural  ear,  until  fashion  should  recomend  it,  be  altogether 
inefective,  or  very  abominable.  Consistently  with  this  view,  we  shall  learn 
hereafter,  that  speech  makes  no  specificaly  distinct  nor  apreciable  use  of  the 
quarter-tone:  showing  how  the  history  of  the  human  voice  has  in  tliis  as  in 
so  many  other  ways,  been  falsified  and  confused. 

The  other  four  scales  seem  to  have  had  no  more  of  a  natural  condition,  than 


84  DIVISIONS   AND    EXPLANATIONS. 

united ;  speech  making  use  of  them  all.  The  concrete  is  always 
found ;  and  we  shall  hereafter  learn  in  what  maner  the  diatonic, 
chromatic,  and  tremulous  scales  are  conected  with  it. 

The  term  Melody  is,  in  music,  aplied  to  a  regulated  vocal  or  to 
an  instrumental  use  of  the  diatonic  and  chromatic  scales.  The  full 
meaning  of  the  term  embraces  the  further  relations  of  time,  rj'th- 
mus,  and  pause.  I  here  speak  of  pitch  alone.  That  efect  in  music 
called  melody,  is  produced  by  the  use  of  the  seven  notes  of  the 
scale,  in  any  agreeable  order  of  their  possible  permutations,  either 
in  a  Proximate  or  Skiping  progresion.  We  shall  learn  hereafter, 
that  the  Melody  of  Speech  is  founded  on  a  like  principle  of  varied 
intervals ;  yet  with  peculiarities,  arising  from  a  systematic  use  of 
its  concrete,  discrete,  and  tremulous  movements,  and  from  its  not 
being  afected  by  the  use  of  what  in  music  is  called.  Key. 

The  term  Key  is  aplied  to  each  of  the  several  orders  of  the 
diatonic  scale,  on  musical  instruments.  And  as  it  apears  by  the 
diagram  of  the  key-board,  that  the  Semitonic  divisions  of  the 
whole  tones  of  the  scale  make  twelve  placesj  from  each"  of  which 
a  diatonic  sucesion  may  be  arangedj  so  the  scale  of  the  piano-forte 

the  Enharmonic;  and  this  leads  to  the  conclusion,  that  like  ourselves,  the 
Greeks  used  the  diatonic  as  the  only  scale  for  agreeable  melody,  and  for  any 
harmony  they  may  have  known  and  practiced. 

But  why  should  all  the  Greek  writers  have  named  their  other  scales,  if  they 
never  used  them?  This  we  cannot  answer:  tho  we  might  class  the  question 
with  the  whole  design  of  their  metaphysics,  which  was  to  dream,  write,  and 
wrangle  about  things,  never  to  be  used  or  even  comprehended.  But  laying 
aside,  for  a  moment,  our  prescribed  rules  for  observing,  reflecting,  and  writing, 
we  will  ofer  a  pasing  conjecture  and  no  more,  upon  it. 

Since  the  ear  for  music,  like  the  eye  for  Euclid's  circle  and  square,  and  tl>o 
tongue  for  wormwood  and  honey,  is  the  same  now,  that  it  was  among  the 
Greeksj  we  can  acount  for  their  being  satisfied  with  their  unnatural  scales,  by 
suposingj  First ;  that  a  few  particular  phrases  of  ritual  chants,  or  of  choral 
responses^  formed  out  of  the  peculiar  sucesion  of  the  notes  of  these  scales,  on 
some  early  and  imperfect  instrument^  were  so  closely  conected  with  the  Temple 
Service,  the  Sacrifice,  or  the  Procesion,  or  with  a  Popular  Obstinacy  in  some 
rude  vocal  habit,  as  to  reconcile  the  ear  to  any  odity  and  disonance.  Or, 
second  ;  by  suposing,  the  unnatural  melodies  or  sucesions  on  these  scales,  to 
be  traditions  of  the  canting  shouts  of  barbarian  Festivals,  originally  excited 
by  some  wild  religious  working  on  the  voicej  after  its  maner  of  working  on 
the  eye,  in  making  to  itself,  without  a  revolting  of  truth  or  taste,  tho  graven 
image  of  its  Gods,  in  every  outrageous  contortion  of  the  human  form.  But 
these  conjectures  are  apart  from  the  design  of  this  Work. 


DIVISIONS   AND    EXPLANATIONS.  85 

admits  of  twelve  clifercnt  keys ;  and  these  being  sulxlividod  into 
Flat  and  Sharp  Keys,  make  twenty-four  in  all ;  but  these  have  no 
regard  to  sj^eech.  The  first  note  of  the  sucesion  is  caled  a-s  we  said 
formerly,  the  key-note.  The  relationship  of  this  to  the  other  notes 
of  the  scale  is  such,  that  a  melody  will  apear  unfinished,  if  its  last 
sound  be  not  the  key-note  of  the  scale,  or  the  octave  to  itj  which 
is  its  nearest  concord. 

It  is  a  condition  in  music,  that  a  melody  formed  of  the  varied 
permutations  of  the  notes  of  any  one  key,  shall  not  employ  the 
constituent  notes  of  another.  In  the  vertical  diagram,  there  is  the 
first  order,  with  its  key-note  at  number  one ;  and  a  second  with  its 
key-note  at  five.  To  form  this  second  order  we  divided  the  tone 
between  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  pointsj  to  obtain  the  second 
semitone  of  the  diatonic  scale;  and  it  apears  that  all  the  notes  are 
comon  to  the  tioo  orders,  except  the  seventh  of  the  second,  marked 
eleven  in  the  diagram.  A  melody  or  tune  begun  on  the  first  order, 
canot  employ  that  eleventh,  and  be  agreable  to  the  ear,  except  with 
a  design  to  leave  the  first  order,  and  afterwards  to  carry  on  the 
tune  altogether  by  the  order  of  the  second.  This  transition  from 
one  order  to  another  is  called  Modulation,  or  Changing  the  key. 
It  is  employed  in  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  but  is  not  apli- 
cable  to  speech. 

The  term  Intonation  signifies  the  act  of  performing  the  move- 
ments of  pitch  on  any  interval  of  the  several  scales,  whether  in 
speech,  in  song,  or  in  instrumental  use.  It  therefore  regards,  only 
the  changes  of  sound  between  acutenes  and  gravity.  Intonation 
is  said  to  be  corect  or  true,  when  the  discrete  steps,  or  concrete 
slides  over  the  intended  interval  are  made  with  exactnes.  True 
intonation  in  speech  means  further^  the  just  use  of  its  intervals, 
for  denoting  the  states  of  mind  in  thot  and  pasion.  Deviation 
from  this  precision  is  called,  singing,  or  playing,  and  it  may  be 
hereafter.  Speaking  out  of  tune.* 

*  Instead  of  the  term  Intonation,  which  embraces  in  music,  the  doctrine  of 
intervals,  and  their  exact  execution  j  the  words  Inflection  and  Modulation  have 
been  used  by  writers,  to  exprcs  only  a  general  and  obscure  perception  of  some 
variation  of  pitch,  in  the  speaking  voice.  So  entirely  have  thoy  seemed  to 
overlook  the  analogy  between  the  scale  of  music,  and  of  speech,  that  the  Eng- 
lish term  Intonation,  which  has  been  used  in  the  former  art,  at  least  a  cen- 
tury, to  denote  the  precise  recognition  of  intervalsj  is  not,  with  this  meaning 


86  DIVISIONS   AND   EXPLANATIONS. 

The  term  Chdence  in  music,  means,  a  consumation  of  the  desire 
for  a  full  close  in  the  melody,  by  the  resting  of  its  last  sound  in 
the  key-note.  It  will  be  shown  hereafter,  that  the  cadence  or 
close  of  speech  is  efected  in  a  diferent  maner. 

I  have  here  tried  to  prepare  the  Reader  for  all  that  relates  to 
the  science  and  nomenclature  of  music,  in  the  folowing  description 
of  speech.  When  a  full  knowledge  of  the  modes,  forms,  and  uses 
of  the  voice  will  have  become  familiar,  by  general  instruction  and 
practice,  the  Art  of  Speaking  will  seem  to  ofer  less  dificulty,  by 
having  an  admited  system  and  nomenclature  of  its  own.  Now, 
we  are  obliged  to  study  another  art,  to  make  an  Art  of  it. 

In  whatever  way  a  pupil  may  learn  or  be  taught  to  recognize 
and  to  execute  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  let  me  here  again  call 
his  atention  to  the  necesity  of  making  himself  familiar  with  a  per- 
ception of  the  concrete  and  discrete  movementj  when  formed  not 
only  on  simple  vowel  sounds,  but  on  sylables,  the  comon  ground 
of  intonation  in  speech.  Let  the  pupil  then,  on  any  sylable  capa- 
ble of  prolongation,  rise  concretely,  from  the  first  degree  of  the 
scale,  to  the  octave ;  and  from  this,  imediately  return  concretely  to 
the  first  degree,  while  the  efect  of  the  extent  of  the  rising  octave 
remains  upon  the  ear.  In  like  maner,  let  him  ascend  and  de- 
scend thru  the  concrete  fifth,  third,  second,  and  semitone. 

For  acquiring  familiarity  with  the  discrete  intervals  of  speech, 
the  intonation  should  be  performed  by  means  of  two  sylables. 
Taking  the  word  gaily,  let  the  pupil  begin  at  the  first  degree  of 
the  scale,  with  gai,  and  by  a  skip,  strike  the  octave  with  ly:  then, 
in  imediate  return,  while  memory  of  the  interval  serves  him,  take 
gai  at  the  octave,  and  descend  to  the  first,  on  ly.  In  a  similar 
maner,  let  the  voice  be  exercised  on  the  discrete  fifth,  third,  second, 
and  semitone. 

Facility  in  executing  the  concrete  semitonic  movement  of  speech, 

to  be  found,  as  fai*  as  I  can  learn,  in  any  of  the  numberless  books  on  elocu- 
tion, published  within  this  period.  Mr.  Sheridan  incidentaly  employs  this 
term  ;  but  with  no  reference  to  intervals  and  their  expresion,  and  only  in  the 
indefinite  meaning  of  the  phrasoj  '  tones  of  the  voice.'  Baily  restriots  intona- 
tion soley  to  music.  Dr.  Johnson  limits  it  to  the  'act  of  thundering.'  In 
ajilicution  to  speech,  it  is  at  hi%i  Jinding  itstvay  into  Dictionaries.  I  need  not 
say,  how  often,  the  description  of  speech,  foundi^d  on  the  identity  of  its  inter- 
vals with  those  of  music,  will  hereafter  require  the  use  of  this  term. 


DIVISIONS  AND   EXPLANATIONS.  87 

Ls  to  be  atained  hy  plaintively  repeating  the  interjection  ah,  both 
ascending  and  descending,  between  the  seventh  and  eighth  degrees 
of  the  diatonic  scale. 

Tiie  pupil  will  acquire  a  ready  coniand  over  the  tremulous  into- 
nation, by  practicing  the  characterLstic  tremor  of  this  scale,  on  the 
semitone  with  a  plaintive  expression,  and  with  laughter,  or  exulta- 
tion, on  the  other  intervals. 

By  frequent  practice  of  these  several  intonations  on  single  syl- 
ables,  the  voice  will  be  prepared  for  the  precise  use  of  intervals, 
in  the  sylabic  sucesions  of  speech. 

The  preceding  explanations  have  been  extended  rather  beyond 
what  is  absolutely  neccsary,  for  comprehending  the  proper  science 
of  Analytic  Elocution,  now  to  be  first  set-forth.  The  function  of 
Key  and  of  Modulation  in  music,  has  been  described  with  some 
care,  altho  speech  is  not  constructed  upon  the  principles  of  either. 
It  may  not  however,  be  uninteresting  to  some  inquirers,  to  know 
wherein  the  diferenccs  of  the  cases  consist. 

The  term  Elocution  is  aplied  thruout  this  Work  to  signify  the 
vocal  Representation  of  thot  and  pasion ;  and  properly  includes 
ever}'^  form  of  corect  Reading,  and  of  Public,  and  Colo(|uial 
Speech.  And  yet  we  shall,  by  license,  often  aply  the  terms 
Reading  and  Speaking,  each  as  that  of  Elocution,  to  designate 
the  whole  of  the  Art.  The  Avords  Recitation,  Delivery,  and 
Declamation,  as  well  as  those  designating  public  Places,  and  Pro- 
fesions,  are  not  here  technicaly,  if  at  all,  employed  in  reference  to 
vocal  character.  Styles  of  elocution  may  difer,  within  the  rule 
for  justly  denoting  pasion  and  th5t ;  and  this  rule  should  direct 
alike  the  style  of  the  Advocate,  the  Witnes,  and  the  Judge ;  of  the 
Pulpit,  the  Stage  and  the  Senate ;  of  the  Stump-orator ;  and  of 
the  varial  voices  of  conversation.  Had  there  been  a  more  abun- 
dant and  precise  knowledge,  of  hoiv  language  shud  be  sj)oken, 
there  wud  have  l)een  much  less  said  of  the  Person  and  the  Place. 

If  I  should  employ  the  term  Reading-aloud,  it  Mill  not  be  in 
contradistinction  to  ocular  perusal.  To  read,  as  a  term  of  Elocu- 
tion, always  means  to  read-aloud.  I  may  however  use  the  term 
Silent  Reading,  to  signify,  not  ocular  pcrusalj  but  the  future 
mental  reading  of  a  notation  on  the  staff  of  speech  ;  in  like  man- 
ner as  the  notes  of  music  are  silently  read  on  the  staff  of  song. 


88  THE    RADICAL   AND 

by  the  vocalist,  and  composer ;  for  I  shall  hereafter  show,  that  a 
knowledge  of  the  constituents  and  principles  of  scientific  speech, 
is  as  atainablej  and  an  aplication  of  them,  as  practicable  and  easyj 
as  in  the  case  of  scientific  music.  I  adopt  from  the  old  Elocu- 
tionist, the  term  '  Reading- well,'  and  preserve  it,  as  a  memorial  of 
the  style  even  of  his  school,  having  generaly  been  so  bad,  that  it 
became  necesary  to  distinguish  an  ocasional  individual  from  the 
herd,  by  his  acomplishment  in  Reading- well. 

I  feel  how  perplexing  it  is,  I  was  about  to  say,  it  is  imposible 
by  description  alone,  to  render  the  separate  parts  of  a  science,  so 
well  divided  in  method  yet  so  closely  related  in  detail,  as  that  of 
music,  clearly  inteligible.  If  what  has  been  said,  will  enable  the 
Reader  to  perceve  the  system  and  particulars  of  the  Four  Scales, 
and  to  execute  them,  he  will  not  have  much  difficulty  in  pursuing 
our  further  history  of  a  new  and  beautiful  Physical  Science  of 
the  Human  Voice. 

SECTION  II. 

Of  the  Radical  and  Vanishing  movement  of  the  voice;   and  its 
dif event  forms  in  Speech,  Song,  and  Recitative. 

We  have  been  wiling  to  beleve,  on  faith  alone,  that  Nature  is 
wise  in  the  ordination  of  speech.  Let  us  now  show  by  our  works 
of  analysis,  in  what  maner,  and  with  what  a  perfection  of  economy, 
that  canot  surpas  itself,  she  manages  the  simple  constituents  of  the 
voice,  in  the  production  of  their  unbounded  combinations.* 

*  As  I  profes,  in  this  Work,  to  draw  the  history  of  the  human  voice,  alto- 
gether from  observation  by  the  ear,  and  experiment  with  the  tongue,  it  will  be 
convenient,  and  even  necesaryj  from  the  constant  reference  to  the  combined 
agencies  that  make  up  the  system  of  speech  j  to  have  some  brief  term  to  desig- 
nate what  we  supose  to  be  the  directive  principle,  or  general  agent  over  these 
subordinate  and  perceptible  agencies.  I  have  therefore  in  the  text,  adopted  an 
abstract  sign  for  ail  these  agencies,  and  their  cfectsj  in  the  word  Nature ;  a 
word  often  taken  in  eror,  and  in  vain,  but  not  yet  obsolete.  This  Term,  this 
Naturej  I  use  every  where,  and  always  with  the  same  meaning  wlien  person- 
ified, as  the  representative  of  an  al-.suflcient,  and  ever-present  sj-stcm  of  causes ; 
whicli  in  the  broad  wisdom  of  its  ordination,  and  universal  cont.i3tency  of  its 


VANISHING    MOVEMENT. 


89 


When  tlie  Ictcr  a,  as  heard  in  the  ^vor(l  flay,  is  pronounced 
simply  as  an  alphabetic  element,  without  intensity  or  emotion, 
and  as  if  it  were  a  continuation,  not  a  close  of  uterance,  two  dip- 
thonji^al  sounds  are  heard  continuously  sucesive.  The  first  has  the 
nominal  sound  of  this  leter,  and  isues  with  a  certain  degree  of  ful- 
nes.  The  last  is  the  element  e,  as  heard  in  eve,  gradualy  diminish- 
ing to  an  atenuated  close.  During  the  pronunciation,  the  voice 
rises  continuously  by  the  concrete  movement  of  a  tone  or  second ; 
the  begining  of  a,  and  the  termination  of  e,  being  severaly  the 
inferior  and  superior  extremes  of  that  tone.  The  character  of  this 
concrete  rise  is  visibly  represented  in  the  first  of  the  following 
diagrams.  A  curvature  of  lines  seeming  to  aford  a  more  graceful 
analogy  to  the  ])eculiar  efect  of  the  vocal  concrete,  it  Avill  thru  this 
Work  apear  as  in  the  second. 


If  the  above  description  of  the  concrete  shud  not,  from  its  deli- 
cate structure,  and  momentary  duration,  be  at  once  recognized,  I 
here  give  a  further  explanation  of  it. 

That  the  sound  denoted  by  the  letter  a,  utered  concretely,  has 
the  dipthongal  character,  will  be  obvious  on  deliberately  drawing 
out  the  single  element,  as  a  question  of  great  surprise.  For  in  this 
case,  its  comencement  is  what  I  have  caled  the  nominal  aj  and  its 
termination  in  e,  at  a  high  pitch,  is  no  less  distinguishable. 

By  the  same  use  of  earnest  intcrogation,  the  fulnes,  or  greater 
volume  of  sound  upon  a,  and  the  diminishing  close  in  e,  will  l)C 
obvious  to  an  atentive  ear.  Nor  is  it  improbablcj  the  feeblenes 
of  this  last  constituent  of  a,  in  ordinary  pronunciation,  is  at  least 
one  cause,  why  the  dipthongal  structure  of  this  element  has  never, 
far  as  I  know,  been  perceved,  or  described. 

efectfi,  is  the  bright  and  unchanging  example  of  truth,  and  right,  and  good- 
nes,  and  beauty;  and  worthy  of  unceasing  study  and  imitationj  for  begining, 
without  dehisive  hopes,  the  intelcctual,  tlic  political,  the  moral,  and  esthetic 
refinement  of  man. 


90  THE  RADICAL  AND 

That  a,  utered  simply  as  the  head  of  the  alphabet,  without  re- 
markable expresion,  and  as  a  continuation,  not  a  close  of  speechj 
does  ascend  by  the  concrete  interval  of  a  tone,  will  be  manifest 
to  the  Reader,  in  his  ability  to  intonate  the  diatonic  scale.  For 
let  him  ascend  disci-etely,  on  the  alternate  use  of  a  and  e,  prolong- 
ing each  as  a  note,  and  making  a  slight  pause  between  them.  This 
will  render  him  familiar  with  the  relationship  of  the  two  elements, 
when  heard  on  the  extremes  of  a  tone :  as  ilusti'ated  in  the  follow- 
ing diagram ;  where  from  line  to  line  is  one  degree,  or  a  tone  of 


E- 


the  scale ;  where  the  oval  figures  with  their  attenuated  rising  ter- 
minations, represent  respectively  the  level  or  protracted  note,  with 
its  final,  faint,  and  rapid  concrete  isue  in  e  ;  and  where  the  diferent 
sizes  of  the  subscribed  leters  may  show  the  proportional  duration 
and  volume  of  voice,  in  the  diferent  parts  of  each  impulse  of 
pronunciation. 

Then  let  him  ascend  the  scale,  by  a  kind  of  union  of  the  con- 
crete and  discrete  progresions,  or  begining  with  a,  slightly  pro- 
longed, and  proceding  to  e,  in  the  second  place,  without  breaking 
the  continuity  of  sound ;  and  thence  after  slightly  prolonging  e, 
pasing  concretely  to  a,  in  the  third  place,  as  ilustrated  in  the  fol- 
lowing diagram ;  where  full  notes  are  conected  by  slender  concretes. 
This  practice  will  make  him  familiar  with  the  efect  of  a  concrete 
rise  thru  a  tone,  when  the  uper  extreme  is  remarkable,  by  the 
stres  and  prolongation  it  receves  at  the  second  place  of  the  scale. 


A E- 


VANISHING   MOVEMENT.  91 

Suposing  the  concrete  interval  of  a  tone  to  be  distingulsliable, 
when  utered  with  a  full  voliime  of  sound  on  the  two  extremes  a 
and  e,  or  M'itli  what  may  be  caled  a  double  stres  or  stres  on  the 
two  extremes  of  the  concrete^  it  may  be  proved  in  the  folowing 
maner,  that  the  simple  uterancc  of  a  in  day,  pases .  thru  the  same 
interval.  Let  the  a  and  e  be  repeatedly  pronounced  with  this 
double  stres,  united  by  the  weaker  concrete,  till  the  efect  of  tlie 
interval  Ls  for  the  moment  impresed  upon  the  ear.  Then  let  the 
stres  on  e  be  gradualy  diminished  in  the  repetition ;  as  ilustrated 
by  the  scries  of  symbols  in  the  folowing  diagram.     The  audible 


A E     A — e     A — e      A-e       A-e       A.e      A^ 

efect  of  the  last  of  the  series,  even  with  a  total  cesation  of  the  uper 
stres,  will  in  intonation,  so  resemble,  yet  faintly,  the  double  stres 
on  the  first,  that  the  cases  will  be  admited  as  identical.  The  tone 
being  then  plainly  conizable  as  the  first  interval  of  the  scale,  when 
both  extremes  receve  the  stresj  so  in  returning  to  the  simple  pro- 
nunciation of  a,  by  gradualy  diminishing  the  stres  at  its  uper  ex- 
tremity, the  perception  of  this  interval  will  be  kept  up  during  the 
progress  of  the  change.  In  the  above  experiment  we  have,  to  suit 
the  order  of  our  history,  begun  with  the  limited  interval  of  a  tone  ; 
but  for  proof  of  the  concrete  function,  it  will  be  more  obvious  when 
made  on  the  expresive  interval  of  the  fifth  or  octave. 

If  there  shud  be  a  doubt,  as  to  the  extent  of  the  concrete  inter- 
val, let  stres  be  aplied  at  its  sumit.  When  the  interval  is  a  tone, 
the  two  stresed  sounds  will  form  the  first  two  notes  of  the  diatonic 
scale ;  for  with  a  little  experience,  the  course  of  this  scale  can  always 
be  recognized,  in  the  execution  of  its  first  and  second  djegrees. 

The  simple  dipthongal  sound  of  a,  Mithout  the  sumit-stres,  djoes. 
then,  as  we  have  ilustrated  it,  pass  thru  the  concrete  interval  of  a 
tone  or  second ;  the  movement  being  divided  between  the  sounds 
of  a  and  c,  the  first  gliding  into  the  ktst.  But  as  the  distinction 
here  refers  to  the  extent  of  the  interval  traversed,  to  its  upward 


92  .    THE   RADICAL   AND 

direction,  and  to  its  concrete  progresj  it  is  necesary  to  uter  the 
literal  element,  without  the  least  expresion ;  for  if  it  be  with 
plaintivenes,  surprise,  or  interogation j  or  as  a  positive  comand,  the 
concrete  will  be  some  other  interval  than  the  tone ;  this  tone  or 
second,  being  the  maner  of  utering  simple  thot,  exclusively  of  the 
excitement  pasion. 

The  peculiar  structure  of  the  concrete  movement  led  to  the  di- 
vision of  it  by  terms,  into  two  parts ;  and  the  use  of  these  terms, 
for  explanatory  purposes  in  the  folowing  history,  will  show  their 
propriety. 

I  have  caled  the  first  part  of  the  concrete,  or  that  of  a,  in  the 
above  instance,  the  Radical  movement ;  since,  with  a  full  begining 
or  opening,  the  subsequent  and  diminishing  portion  of  the  concrete 
procedes  from  it  as  from  a  base  or  root. 

I  have  called  the  last  part,  or  that  of  e,  in  the  example,  the 
Vanishing  movement,  from  its  becoming  gradualy  weaker  as  it 
rises,  and  finaly  dying  away  in  the  uper  extreme  of  the  tone. 

It  must  strike  the  Reader,  that  the  above  terms  can  have  only  a 
general  reference  to  the  two  extremes  of  the  concretej  for  the 
gradual  change  of  the  radical  into  the  vanish  prevents  our  asign- 
ing  an  exact  point  of  distinction  between  them. 

When  a  single  vowel  sound,  capable  of  prolongation,  is  utered 
with  propriety  and  smoothnes,  and  without  vocal  expresion,  it 
comences  full  and  somewhat  abruptly,  and  gradualy  decreases  in 
its  upward  movement,  until  it  becomes  inaudible ;  having  the  in- 
crements of  time  and  rise,  and  the  decrements  of  fulnes,  equably 
progresive.  Or,  suposing  a  gradual  diminution  of  fulnes,  in  the 
gradual  rise  thru  a  tone  to  be  efccted  in  a  given  timej  one  half  or 
smaler  fraction  of  that  rise  and  diminution  will  be  efected  in  one 
half  or  smaler  fraction  of  that  time.  Let  us  call  this  form  of  the 
radical  and  vanishing  movement,  the  Equable  Concrete. 

The  varied  forms  of  the  vocal  function  in  Song  and  Recitative, 
may  ilustrate  the  character  of  this  equability  in  the  intonation  of 
speech. 

The  long-dra^vn  voice  of  one  continued  pitch,  licard  in  song 
and  recitative,  is  produced  in  two  ways. 

First;  by  giving  a  greater  proportion  of  time  and  volume  to 
one  continuous  and  level  line  of  sound,  in  the  radical  place ;  and 


VANISHING    MOVEMENT.  93 

by  subsequently  rising  concretely,  lightly,  and  rapidly,  tliru  the 
superior  portion  of  the  interval.  Let  us  call  this,  the  Protracted 
Radical. 

Second ;  by  rising  concretely,  lightly,  and  rapidly  thru  the  in- 
ferior portion  of  the  interval,  and  then  prolonging  the  voice  with 
greater  volume,  on  a  level  line  at  the  highest  point  of  the  vanish. 
Let  us  call  this,  the  Protracted  Vanish. 

Thus  far,  intonation  exhibits  three  modifications  of  the  radical 
and  vanishing  movement :  The  Equable  Concrete  of  speech ;  the 
Protracted  Radical,  and  the  Protracted  Vanish,  both  of  which 
are  used  in  song  and  recitative.  AYe  shall  learn,  as  we  procede, 
the  various  relationships  of  the  concrete  to  all  the  simple  and 
compounded  intervals,  to  the  alphabetic  elements,  to  time,  and  to 
force. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement  through 
a  tone,  to  explain  by  that  interval,  the  formation  of  the  concrete 
rise,  and  its  threefold  division.  In  taking  a  wider  survey  of  the 
subject,  we  learuj  the  radical  and  vanish  is  made  on  every  other 
interval. 

Ascending  concretely,  from  the  seventh  to  the  eighth  degree 
of  the  scale,  by  a  and  e,  in  the  maner  of  the  diagram  on  the 
ninety-first  page ;  that  is,  by  laying  a  stres  on  the  two  extremes 
of  this  intervalj  the  voice  has  a  plaintive  character,  very  diferent 
from  that  of  the  tone,  or  interval  between  the  first  and  second. 
The  interval  from  the  seventh  to  the  eighth  place  of  the  diatonic 
scale,  is  a  semitone.  This  plaintive  concrete  therefore,  when  aten- 
uated,  and  made  equable  by  gradualy  diminishing  the  stres  at  its 
uper  extreme,  shown  in  the  sucesive  symbols  of  that  diagramj  is 
the  radical  and  vanishing  or  equable  concrete  movement  of  a 
nemitone. 

Again,  in  ascending  concretely  upon  a  and  e,  from  the  first  to 
the  third  place  of  the  scale,  with  a  stres  on  e,  in  that  third  place, 
the  efect  of  this  continuous  movement  difers  from  that  of  the 
tone,  and  the  semitone ;  for  it  resembles  a  mo<leratc  degree  of  in- 
terogation  on  the  element  a.  This  concrete,  when  atenuated  or 
made  equable,  by  gradualy  diminishing  the  stres  at  its  uper  ex- 
treme, is  the  radical  and  vanishing  or  equable  concrete  movement 
of  a  third. 


94  THE   RADICAL  AND 

By  a  proces  analogous  to  that  just  proposed,  for  distinguishing 
the  interval  of  a  third,  we  may  ascertain  the  concrete  movement 
of  a  fifth,  and  of  an  octave ;  for  these,  with  stres  at  their  uper 
extremes,  have  earnest  interogative  expresions.  Then  diminishing 
the  stress,  directed  in  the  former  cases,  we  have  respectively,  the 
equable  radical  and  vanishing  movements  of  \he  fifth  and  octave. 

In  this  manner,  the  ear  perceves  in  their  varied  characters,  the 
several  vocal  movements  of  an  equable  Rising  radical  and  vanish- 
ing semitone,  of  a  tone  or  second,  of  a  major  third,  a  fifth,  and 
an  octave.  These  intervals  have  their  proper  significations  in 
the  expresion  of  speech,  and  ^vill  be  particularly  noticed  hereafter. 

The  above  description  represents  the  Concrete  rise  of  the  several 
intervals. 

The  Discrete  scale  is  likewise  used  in  speech ;  and  its  skiping 
intervals  are,  perhaps,  as  readily  distinguishable  as  the  gliding 
interv^als  of  the  concrete.  When  therefore  we  are  able  to  ascend 
the  discrete  steps  of  the  diatonic  scale,  in  proximate  sucesion,  and 
to  recognize  its  wider  intervals,  we  have  only  to  mark,  by  some 
vowel-sound,  the  first  and  second,  and  the  seventh  and  eighth 
degrees  of  the  scale,  to  form  respectively  the  discrete  rising  tone 
or  second,  and  the  semitone.  In  like  maner  by  skiping  the  other 
intervals,  we  shall. have  a  discrete  rising  third,  fifth,  and  octave. 

Let  us  consider  another  condition  of  the  radical  and  vanish. 
We  have  viewed  the  concrete  of  the  voice  only  in  its  rising  pro- 
gres.  There  is  a  similar  glide  in  a  downward  direction  respectively 
thru  all  the  intervals  of  the  scale.  In  this  downward  form  of 
the  concrete,  we  take  the  scale  numericaly,  as  in  its  upward  course ; 
the  like  number  of  degrees  constituting  intervals  of  the  same 
name,  in  each  direction.  For  this  descending  progres,  music  em- 
ploys the  terms,  a  second,  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  below  ;  whereas, 
for  the  intonations  of  sj^eech,  I  shall  generaly  use  \\\(i  adjective- 
term  downward,  or  descending,  or  faling,  to  denote  this  direction 
on  the  scale.  Refering  then  to  our  former  experiments,  if  the  bow 
be  drawn  while  the  finger  is  moving  continuously,  from  tlie  eighth 
place  on  the  string  to  any  distance  downward,  it  will  produce  a 
concrete  descending  sound.  In  this  way,  the  faling  concrete  will 
have  the  described  properties  of  the  rising  radical  and  vanisli,  with 
this  diference  onlyj  the  radical,  if  it  may  now  be  so  caled,  is  here 


VANISHING   MOVEMENT.  95 

at  the  sumit  of  the  interval,  while  the  vanish  eqnably  diminishes 
to  its  lower  extreme.  To  render  the  extent  of  a  doNvnward  inter- 
val }»orcoptiblo,  let  the  stres  be  aplied  to  the  extremity  of  its  de- 
scending vanish,  and  then  in  repetition  gradualy  diminished,  as 
ilustrated  by  the  diagram,  on  the  ninety-first  page,  when  taken 
in  an  inverted  position,  from  right  to  left.  Thus  exemplified,  the 
movement  from  a,  at  the  eighth  degree  of  the  scale,  to  e,  in  the 
seventh,  will  give  the  downward  equable-concrete  semitone  ;  from 
the  second  to  the  first,  the  downward-equable-^one  /  and  in  this 
maner,  a  descent  from  the  third,  fifth,  and  eighth  degree,  respec- 
tively to  the  first,  will  give  the  downward  radical  and  vanishing  or 
equable-concrete  third,  fifth,  and  octave. 

The  downward  movement  is  likewise  made  in  the  discrete  pro- 
gresion.  This  may  be  readily  heard  on  the  Piano,  and  other  in- 
struments with  a  scale  of  fixed  degreesj  by  striking  in  sucesion, 
the  extreme  notes  of  the  required  interval ;  and  in  the  voice,  by  a 
unison-imitation  of  these  instrumental  sounds,  upon  vowels  or 
sylablesj  thereby  exemplifying  a  downward  discrete  octave,  fifth, 
third,  second,  and  semitone. 

He  who  is  acquainted  with  the  musical  scale,  but  has  not  yet 
considered  it  with  reference  to  speech,  may  ascertain  the  upward 
coTirse  of  the  tone  and  of  the  semitone,  on  a  vowel,  by  comparing 
their  efects  respectively  with  those  of  the  first  and  last  interval  of 
the  rising  scale.  In  like  maner,  he  may  know  the  downward 
course  of  the  semitone  and  of  the  tone,  by  comparing  them  respec- 
tively with  the  first  and  the  last  interval  of  the  descending  scale. 
Every  one  knows  a  plaintive  expresion  in  speech ;  it  is  easy  there- 
fore to  recognize  a  semitone.  And  perhaps  there  is  not  too  much 
confidence  in  aserting,  that  before  the  atentive  and  competent 
Reader  has  finished  this  essay,  he  will  have  no  more  dificulty  in 
discriminating  every  other  important  interval  of  the  rising  and 
the  faling  scale. 

I  say  nothing  here  of  a  concrete  radical  and  vanishing  fowih, 
sixth,  and  seventh ;  nor  of  wider  ranges  than  tlie  octave ;  nor  of 
the  discrete  movement  over  these  intervals;  not  that  the  voice  in 
an  upward  and  a  downward  course  does  not  use  them,  but  that  a 
reference  to  the  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  is  suficiently  precise  for 
the  purpose  of  our  history. 


96.  THE   RADICAL   AND 

Besides  the  above-described  forms  of  the  concrete  and  discrete 
movements,  both  in  an  upward  and  downward  direction,  there  is  a 
continuous  course  of  the  rising  into  the  faling  concretej  and  re- 
versely, a  continuity  of  the  faling  into  the  rising.  This  form  of 
the  radical  and  vanish  will  be  particularly  noticed  hereafter  under 
the  name  of  the  Wave.  We  will  call  it  Direct,  when  the  first 
interval  ascends,  and  the  second  descends;  Inverted,  when  this 
order  of  the  intervals  is  reversed ;  Equal,  when  the  rising  and  the 
faling  are  in  extent  the  same  ;  and  Unequal,  when  diferent.  It  is 
called  Single,  when  two  intervals  only  are  joined  :  Double,  when 
another  is  subjoined  to  the  second  of  the  single  form  :  and  Con- 
tinued, when  the  number  of  flexures  excede  the  double.  The 
wave  is  made  on  all  the  intervals  of  the  scale ;  and  its  diferent 
forms  may  be  variously  united  with  each  other.  It  may  be  double- 
direct,  unequal  direct,  double-unequal,  and  in  short,  its  intervals 
may  be  in  all  posible  combinations. 

I  have  not  yet  finished  the  preparatory  explanations.  The 
simple  radical  and  vanish  may,  in  its  rise  and  its  fall,  receve  a 
Fulnes  or  Force,  or  acentual  stres,  under  the  six  folowing  forms. 
First.  The  radical  of  the  equable  movement,  as  previously  shown, 
is  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  the  concrete,  by  its  initial  stres. 
Second.  While  the  proportion  of  radical  to  vanish  remains  unal- 
tered, the  whole  equable  concrete  may  be  magnified  by  unusual 
force.  Third.  The  voice  may  be  sweled,  on  a  concrete,  or  on  a 
wave,  to  an  impresive  fulnes,  at  the  midle  of  its  course.  Fourth. 
There  may  be  an  unusual  stres  at  each  extremity  of  the  concrete. 
Fifth.  AVhile  the  radical  Ls  reduced  in  fulnes,  the  vanisliing  ex- 
tremity may  have  a  forcible  termination.  Sixth.  The  concrete  or 
the  wave  may  have  the  fidnes  and  force  of  the  radical  thruout  its 
whole  extent.  As  tliere  will  be  frequent  ocasions  to  discriminate 
between  these  acentual  conditions  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  and 
its  equable  structure,  I  shall  employ  the  phrase  Simple  Concrete, 
to  distinguish  the  later  from  its  variations  by  force  or  fulness,  at 
its  several  points  or  on  the  whole  of  its  course. 

I  have  in  the  j)resent  and  the  preceding  section  taken  a  general 
survey  of  the  five  modes  of  Vocality,  Time,  Force,  Abruptnes, 
and  Pit(;h  j  preparatory  to  a  detail  of  their  respective  forms,  varie- 
ties, and  degrees,  in  denoting  the  states  and  purposes  of  tlie  mind  ; 


VANISHING   MOVEMENT.  97 

and  shall  hereafter  make  a  division  of  these  states  and  purposes, 
into  that  of  plain  unexcited  Thot,  and  that  of  the  expresive  de- 
grees of  Pasion  ;  particularly  describing  the  vocal  sign  apropriate 
to  each. 

The  folowing  diagrams  may  ilustrate  the  various  foregoing  de- 
scriptions. Tiic  spaces  and  linos  denote  places  of  pitch ;  the  prox- 
imate sucesion  of  line  and  space  being  that  of  a  second  or  tone. 
These  lines  and  spaces  difer  from  the  staf  of  the  musical  system ; 
the  later  being  founded  on  the  diatonic  scale,  denotes  in  certain 
places,  the  interval  of  a  semitone ;  whereas  the  lines  and  spaces 
for  the  notation  of  speech  signify  always,  the  sucesion  of  a  tone, 
except  otherwise  specified.  The  full  black  symbols  on  these  lines 
and  spaces,  with  their  isuing  and  tapering  apendages  of  various 
extent,  represent  the  oj>ening  fulnes,  direction,  and  diminution  of 
the  radical  and  vanishing  movement.  The  distances  between  the 
radicals  of  the  concrete  seconds,  thirds,  fifths,  and  octaves,  severaly 
represent  the  discrete  intervals.  Time  is  represented  as  in  music : 
the  open  elipse  signifying  the  longest ;  the  small  head  and  stem, 
with  its  two  hooks  to  denote  the  duration  of  the  vanish,  being  in 
this  case,  the  sixteenth  part  of  the  open  elipse.  Except  for  the 
protracted  radical,  and  vanish,  the  notation  of  Time  will  not  be 
here  employed.  A  use  of  the  measurable  relations  of  Time,  \vith 
the  proportional  value  of  its  symbols,  is  indispensable  to  the  me- 
lodial  rythmus,  and  to  the  concerted  harmonies  of  music.  Speech 
being  a  solo  of  intonation,  and  requiring  no  conformity  in  time  with 
other  voices  J  the  use  of  Quantity  on  sucesive  sylables,  is  left  to  the 
thot  or  pasion  which  directs  the  apropriate  utterance. 

These  diagrams  represent  three  of  the  five  modes  of  the  voiccj 
Pitch,  Abruptnes,  and  Time.  Vocality  has  never,  to  my  knowl- 
edge, had  a  symbol  cither  in  music  or  speech  :  yet  there  is  no 
cause  why  it  mit  not  and  shud  not,  when  remarkable  in  its  difer- 
ences,  be  so  represented.  Force  is  vaguely  indicated  by  the  usual 
gramatical  marks  for  acent  and  emphasis,  and  by  italic  type. 
Should  this  analysis  and  system  be  ever  generaly  adopted ;  and 
the  purposes  of  speech  require  itj  apropriate  symbols  for  Vo- 
cality, Force,  and  Time,  may  without  much  dificulty  be  conectcd 
with  the  forms  of  the  equable  concrete,  and  the  wave. 


98 


THE   EADICAL  AND 


I  have  not  given  symbols  for  the  concrete  and  discrete  minor 
third,  and  semitone,  since  their  representation  on  the  staff  may  be 
easily  made. 


o  03  Eh 


O 


^   2 


t-      !>      t^ 


I — ^ 1 1 — ^ 1 ^ 


<a  ^ 


F^ 


-o4 


l^ 


.^ 


c   >  S 


C3     > 


O 


.5      >      o       •■- 

«<         ►*         CC  (^ 


H 


^    J  -  ;s 


U   .t: 


S    S    ^      s 


ft  ^ 


P  .s 


■B^ggg 


-^W^j-^^^. 


Forms  of  acentual  fulnes  or  stres  on  the  Concrete. 


4 


T 


In  the  above  notation,  there  is  no  meaning  in  the  curve  of  the 
vanish,  except  on  tlic  wavesj  nor  in  the  circular  enlargement  of 


VANISHING   MOVEMENT.  99 

tlie  radical.  In  this,  as  formerly  remarked,  the  eye  oidy  was 
consulted ;  yet  I  cannot  say,  the  engraver  has,  in  all  cases,  done 
justice  to  the  drawing  furnished.* 

I  have  here  described,  under  its  various  forms,  an  imj)ortant 
and  delicate  function  of  speech.  There  is  a  peculiarity  in  the 
human  voice  which  has  never  been  copied  by  instrumental  con- 
trivances. The  sounds  of  the  horn,  flute,  and  musical-glass,  may 
severaly  equal  and  even  surpas  in  vocality  a  long-drawn  and  level 
vocal  note:  still  there  is  something  wanting,  that  distinguishes 
their  intonation  from  that  of  speech.  It  is  the  want  of  the  equa- 
ble gliding,  the  lesening  volume,  and  the  soft  extinction  of  the 
yet  inimitable  radical  and  vanishing  movement. 

And  further ;  the  simple  uterance  of  the  radical  and  vanish 
seems  to  be  an  instinctiv^e  and  uncontrolable  function  of  the  voice : 
for  to  my  observation,  even  the  very  shortest  vocal  impulse  on  a 
voAvel  or  sylable,  is  not,  so  to  speak,  a  mere  point  of  sound  with- 
out dimensions,  but  is  necesarily  made  upward  or  downward  by 
some,  however  rapid  movement.  This  remark  is  true  of  the  voices 
of  many  sub-animals.  Does  it  aply  to  all  ?  and  even  to  comon 
mechanical  noises? 

In  the  course  of  this  esay,  I  shall  endeavor  to  obviate  the  efect 
of  that  repetition  of  its  nomenclature,  which  the  purpose  of  ex- 
planation and  the  newnes  of  the  subject  mit  rcquircj  by  the  use 
of  various  abreviated  but  equivalent  terms.  The  Concrete  func- 
tion will,  according  to  the  general  or  specific  purpose  in  its  use, 

*  On  first  observing  the  peculiar  character  of  the  radical  and  vanish  ;  when 
my  atcntion  was  sometimes  misled  by  hasty  conclusions,  and  wliile  doubtfuly 
experimenting  on  the  form  of  melodyj  I  drew,  partly  after  the  putern  of  a 
musical  note,  the  symbol  of  the  concrete  as  it  still  remains.  And  see,  how 
that  deceitful  thing  the  mind  with  its  resemblances,  as  we  are  prone  to  use 
them,  should  be  watched.  Upon  the  first  draft  of  the  ilustrations,  the  grace- 
ful lines  of  a  Greek  scrol  seemed  analogous  to  the  delicate  impresion  of  the 
vocal  vanish  ;  and  the  form  then  given  to  the  symbol  subsequently  so  influ- 
enced my  perception,  that  perhaps  I  am  not  yet  quite  free  from  tiio  tliOt  that 
induced  it.  Altho  aware  from  the  first,  that  the  figurative  rejjroscntation  of 
the  radical  and  vanish  should  be  by  the  outline  of  a  spire,  still  the  wcdge-liko 
symbol,  espccialy  if  set  obliquely  on  the  staft",  apeared  too  awkward  a  i)icture 
of  this  mastery  no,  this  mistres-principle  of  tho  voice. 

I  here  offer  an  apology  for  my  departure  from  corectncs  in  the  iliistration. 
If  I  have  comittcd  a  fault  I  much  regret  it;  ajid  thereupon  write  tliis  note,  to 
prevent  a  false  impresion  on  the  mind  of  the  Header. 


100  THE   RADICAL   AND   VANISHING   MOVEMENT. 

be  variously  caled  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement ;  the  con- 
crete movement,  progresion,  interval,  or  pitch ;  or  simply  the 
radical  and  vanish,  or  the  concrete ;  or  the  radical  and  vanishing 
concrete  tone,  semitone,  third,  fifth,  and  octave.  The  Discrete 
function  will  be  caled  the  discrete  movement,  progresion,  change, 
skip,  or  pitch ;  or  the  radical  movement,  change,  progresion,  skip, 
or  pitch ;  or  the  discrete  tone,  semitone,  third,  fifth,  and  octave. 
Each  of  the  above  phrases  may  have  the  specification  of  rise  or 
fall,  upward  or  downward,  ascent  or  descent,  according  to  the  re- 
quired purpose,  or  to  any  desirable  variation  of  terms.  Shud 
the  direction  of  the  concrete,  or  of  the  radical  not  be  specified 
or  implied,  the  term  is  used  for  either  rise  or  fall.  As  a  general 
designation  of  the  extent  of  intervals  and  wavesj  all  greater  than 
those  of  the  semitone  and  second  will  be  called  wider,  to  form 
a  better  rythmus  than  wide,  in  qualifying  those  terms  of  intona- 
tion. 

Let  the  Reader  then  not  be  alarmed  at  the  variety  of  these 
terms.  At  present  he  need  only  regard  them  for  future  reference, 
if  he  should  hereafter  find  it  necesary.  When  he  requires  them, 
he  will  perhaps  perceve,  they  are  phrases  conected  so  necesarily 
with  the  subject,  that  he  himself  might  have  made  them.  Indeed, 
a  future  wide  companionship  in  the  knowledge  of  speech,  may  have 
a  shorter  and  more  convenient  nomenclature  of  its  own. 

Let  him  however  not  be  discouraged,  by  his  first  dificulty  in 
discriminating  the  intervals  of  speech.  There  was  much  to  per- 
plex and  to  threaten  with  despair,  in  the  course  of  observation  by 
which  these  intervals  were  first  measured  and  described.  Yet 
even  these  now  palpable  phenomena  were  not  perccved  at  a  mo- 
ment, as  perhaps  they  mit  be,  under  a  simple  and  real  education 
of  the  senses  and  of  thot.  For  the  miror  of  the  mind  obscured 
and  distorted  in  its  imagery,  by  a  habitual  ocupation  with  little 
else  than  Fictionj  and  Argument,  too  often  the  provocative  of 
fictionj  is  not  prei)ared  to  reflect  the  realities  of  nature  without 
dimnes  or  delay.  The  first  perceptions  by  the  author  of  this  esay 
were  full  of  indistinctness  and  doubt ;  far  grciitcr  ])crhaps,  than 
the  inteligcnt  Reader  may  experience  from  the  dcscrij)tions  in  this 
section.  Yet  after  three  years  familiarity  with  the  different  inter- 
vals of  intonation,  their  various  degrees  were  nmch  more  percep- 


ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS.  101 

tible  to  him,  than  tlie  discrimination  of  colors  without  direct 
comparison ;  and  quite  as  distinguisliable  by  their  efect  upon  the 
ear  in  deliberate  uterance,  as  tlie  vocality,  time,  and  force  of  sylabic 
sound. 


SECTION   III. 

Of  the  Elementary  Sounds  of  the  English  Language  ;  with  their 
Relations  to  the  Radical  and  Vanishing  Movement. 

The  term  Element  is  aplied  to  the  most  simple  form  of  the 
articulate  voice ;  and  is  not  otherwise  used  in  this  Essay.  The 
element  as  a  sound  adresed  to  the  ear,  is  to  be  distinguished  from 
its  visible  symbol  or  leter ;  which  is  sometimes  specified  as  an 
alphabetic  element. 

The  radical  and  vanishing  concrete,  under  all  its  forms,  is  em- 
ployed on  a  limited  number  of  these  elementary  sounds,  said  by 
some  writers,  whom  I  here  follow,  to  amount  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, to  thirty-five.  It  seems  useles  to  raise  a  distracting  ques- 
tion on  the  subject  of  the  kind  and  number  of  the  elements.  As 
long  as  the  human  mind  prefers  contention,  to  practical  agreement, 
there  will  j>erhaps  be  refinements  and  diferences  on  this  point.  The 
thirty-five  here  asumed,  aford  all  the  distinctions  required  for  the 
uses  of  this  Work.  And  they  have  been  found  suficient  for  prac- 
tical purposes,  by  those  who  have  no  time  nor  fondness  for  useles 
discovery  or  for  dispute.* 

*  English  philologists  have,  acording  to  their  real  or  afectod  nicety  of  car, 
difered  on  the  subject  of  the  number  of  the  elements  in  our  language.  The 
diferences  refer  to  the  character  of  the  sounds,  or  to  the  time,  or  maner  of 
pronouncing  them.  The  broad  sound  of  a  in  all,  and  of  o  in  occupy  have 
been  enumerated  as  diferent.  If  there  is  a  diference,  it  may  consist  in  the 
abrupt  uterance  of  oc,  or  the  sudencs  with  which  the  sound  breaks  from  the 
organs.  A  like  distinction  has  been  made  between  o  in  oor.c,  and  «  in  htiW  j 
where  the  explosive  acent  seems  to  give  the  perceptible  diference  to  the  short 
vowel.  Now  this  abruptnes  of  voice  is  a  generic  function,  or  mode,  aplicable 
to  all  vowels,  and  tbercfore  not  a  ground  for  specific  distinction.  It  is  how- 
ever, of  little  practical  consequence,  whether  cases  like  these  arc  decided  one 
way  or  the  other. 


102  ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS. 

An  alphabet  should  consist  of  a  separate  symbol  for  eveiy  ele- 
mentary sound.  Under  this  view,  the  deficiencies,  redundancies, 
and  confusion  of  the  system  of  alphabetic  characters  in  the  Eng- 
lish language,  prevent  the  adoption  of  its  common  grammatical 
subdivisions  here. 

The  sounds  of  the  alphabetic  elements  are  the  material,  and 
their  combination  into  significant  words,  the  formal  causes  of  all 
language.  It  apears  to  me  however,  that  a  clasification,  acording 
to  their  uses  in  other  phenomena  of  speech,  besides  that  of  its  ar- 
ticulation, wud  be  practicaly  useful  as  well  as  definitively  just.  But 
as  Intonation  is  an  important  mode  of  speech,  the  arangement  of 
the  elements  if  practicaly  regarded,  should  have  some  reference  to 
it.  In  the  present  section  therefore,  these  elements  will  be  de- 
scribed and  clased,  acording  to  their  use  in  intonation.* 

*  I  set  aside,  in  this  place  at  least,  the  sacred  division  into  vowels,  conso- 
nants, mutes  and  semivowels.  The  complete  history  of  nature  will  consist  of 
a  full  description  of  all  the  interchangeable  rehxtionships,  not  of  notions  after 
the  metaphysical  maner,  but  of  perceptible  things.  "We  receved  the  clasifi- 
cation of  the  elements  from  Greek  and  Roman  gramarians  :  and  their  division, 
acording  to  organic  causes,  into  labial,  lingual,  dental,  and  nasal,  is  now 
strictly  a  part  of  the  physiology  of  speech.  But  whatever  cause,  conected  with 
the  vocal  habits  of  another  nation,  or  the  etymologies  of  another  tongue, 
may  have  justified  the  division  into  vowels  and  consonants  acording  to  their 
definition,  it  does  not  exist  with  us.  Without  designing  to  overlook  or  de- 
stroy arangements,  truly  representing  the  relationships  of  these  sounds,  it  is 
only  intended  in  this  esay  to  add  to  their  history  a  division,  grounded  on  their 
important  functions  in  intonation.  The  strictnes  of  philosophy  should  not 
be  so  far  forgoten,  as  to  sufer  the  claim  of  this  clasification  to  be-  exclusive. 
Let  it  remain  as  only  a  constituent  portion,  of  new  and  wider  prospects,  yet 
to  be  opened  in  the  art. 

Passing  by  other  asailable  points  of  our  imemorial  system,  the  contradis- 
tinction of  its  two  leading  divisions  is  a  misrepresentation.  Had  he  an  ear 
who  said,  and  belevedj  a  consonant  cannot  be  sounded  without  the  help  of  a 
vowel  ? 

Among  the  thousand  mismanagements  of  literary  instruction,  there  is  at 
the  outset  in  the  horn-book,  a  pretence  to  represent  elementary  sounds,  by 
sylables  composed  of  two  or  more  elements,  asj  Be,  Kay,  Zed,  double  U,  and 
Aitch.  These  words  are  used  in  infancy  and  thru  life,  as  simple  elements  in 
the  proces  of  synthetic  speling.  But  no  eror  or  oversight  of  the  school  shud 
ever  make  us  forget  the  realities  of  nature. 

Any  pronouncing  dictionary  sliows,  that  consonants  alone  may  form  syla- 
bles ;  and  if  they  have  never  been  apropriated  to  words  which  might  stand 
solitary  in  a  sentence,  like  the  vowels  a,  i,  o,  a-/i,  and  a-ji^c,  it  is  not  because 


ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS.  103 

As  the  number  of  elementary  sounds  in  the  English  language 
excedes  that  of  tlie  literal  symbols,  and  as  some  of  these  symbols, 
cspeciuly  those  of  the  vowels,  are  made  to  represent  various  sounds, 
without  a  rule  for  discriminationj  I  propose  to  suply  this  want  of 
precision,  by  using  short  words  of  known  pronunciation,  contain- 
ing the  elementary  sounds  with  the  leters  that  represent  them, 
marked  in  italics ;  which  the  Reader  may  exemplify  to  himself. 

Let  him  begin  to  utter  the  word  all.  The  moment  the  sound  of 
a  is  completed,  let  him  pause ;  and  that  initial  sound  gives  one  of 
the  elementary  sounds  of  a.  In  a  like  experiment  with  other  in- 
itial vowels  of  selected  examples,  he  will  hear  the  precise  sounds 
of  the  other  vowel  elements.  Again,  for  the  consonants.  In  the 
word  bee,  let  him  pause  after  the  obscure  'guttural  murmur' 
of  its  first  sound,  and  he  will  hear  the  element  represented  by  the 
letter  b. 

Or,  otherwise :  let  him,  in  the  instance  of  both  vowel  and  con- 
sonant, prolong  unusualy  the  first  element,  before  joinmg  it  to  the 
next ;  and  the  single  elementary  vowel,  and  the  single  elementary 
consonant  will  be  respectively  heard  in  that  prolongation. 

The  thirty-five  Elements  are  now  to  be  considered  under  their 
relationships  to  the  radical  and  vanish.  And  as  the  properties  of 
this  function  are,  prolongation  of  sound,  and  variation  of  con- 
crete pitch,  with  initial  force  and  final  feeblcnesj  these  elements 
should  be  regarded  in  their  varied  capacity  for  the  display  of  these 
properties. 

With  this  view,  our  elements  of  articulation  may  be  aranged 
under  three  general  heads. 

The  first  division  embraces  sounds  with  the  radical  and  vanish 
in  its  most  perfect  form.  They  are  twelve  in  number;  and  are 
heard  in  the  usual  sound  of  the  separated  italics,  in  the  folowing 
words: 

^-11,  a-rt,  a-n,  a-le,  oiir-r,  t-sle,  o-ld,  ee-1,  oo-ze,  e-rr,  e-nd, 
and  t-n. 

From  their  being  the  purest  and  most  manageable  means  for 
intonation,  I  have  called  them  Tonic  sounds. 

they  cannot  be  so  used  ;  but  because  they  have  not  that  full  and  manageable 
kind  of  vocality,  which  exhibits  the  quantity,  force,  and  intonation  of  an 
unconected  element,  with  suflcient  emphasis  and  with  agreeable  efect. 


104  ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS. 

They  consist  of  (liferent  sorts  of  Vocalityj,  or  of  that  kind  of 
voice  in  which  we  usualy  speak,  and  here  contradistinguished  from 
whisper  or  aspiration.  They  are  produced  by  the  joint  functions 
of  the  larynx,  fauces,  and  parts  of  the  internal  and  external  mouth. 

The  tonicsj  pronouncing  the  o  broad,  as  in  o-r^  are  of  a  more 
tunable  voice  than  the  other  elements.  They  are  capable  of  in- 
definite prolongation ;  admit  of  the  concrete  and  tremulous  rise 
and  fall,  thru  all  the  intervals  of  pitch ;  may  be  utered  more 
forcibly  than  the  other  elements,  as  well  as  with  more  abruptnes ; 
and  while  these  last  two  characteristics  are  apropriate  to  the  fulnes 
and  stres  of  the  radical^  the  atenuative  prolongation,  on  their 
pure  and  controlable  vocalit}^,  is  finely  acomodated  to  the  vanishing 
movement.  Universaly,  they  havej  for  the  purposes  of  an  agreable 
intonation  j  a  eidony,  briefly  so  to  call  it,  beyond  the  other  elements. 

The  second  division  includes  a  number  of  sounds,  posesing 
variously  among  themselves,  a  character  similar  to  that  of  the 
tonics ;  but  difering  in  degree.  They  amount  to  fourteen ;  and 
are  marked  by  the  sound  of  the  separated  italics,  in  the  folowing 
words : 

5-0 w,  c?-are,  ^r-ive,  u-ile,  2-one,  y-e,  w-o,  th-en,  a-z-ure,  si-n^r, 
Z-ove,  m-ay,  n-ot,  r-ose. 

From  their  inferiority  to  the  tonics,  for  all  the  emphatic  and 
elegant  purposes  of  speech,  while  they  admit  of  being  intonated  or 
caried  concretely  thru  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  I  have  called  them 
Subtonic  sounds. 

They  all  have  a  vocality  ;  in  some  it  is  combined  with  aspiration. 
B,  d,  g,  ng,  I,  m,  n,  r,  have  an  unmixed  vocality  ;  v,  z,  y,  to,  th, 
zh,  have  an  aspiration  joined  with  theirs.  We  have  learned  that 
the  vocality  of  the  tonics  is  in  each,  peculiar.  The  vocality  of 
some  of  the  subtonics  is  aparently  the  same ;  and  among  all,  it 
does  not  greatly  difer;  resembling  that  of  certain  five  of  the 
tonics,  to  be  described  presently.  Like  the  vocality  of  the  tonics, 
it  is  formed  in  the  larynx ;  but  the  sound  in  its  outward  course 
may  have  a  modifying  reverberation  in  the  fauces,  the  mouth,  and 
the  cavities  of  the  nose.  A  few  subtonic  vocalitics  are  purely 
nasal,  asj  m,  n,  ng,  b,  d,  g.  Others  are  purely  oral.  The  nasal 
are  soon  silenced  by  closing  the  nostrils ;  the  rest  are  not  materi- 
ally afected  by  it.    The  vocality  of  6,  d,  and  g,  may  not  be  imedi- 


ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS,  105 

atclv  pcrcevecl  by  those  who  have  not,  on  the  separate  elements, 
atained  the  full  coniand  of  pronunciation.  Writers  have  spoken  of 
the  vocality  of  these  elements,  under  the  name  of  'gutural  mur- 
mur/ and  have  regarde<l  it  as  a  peculiar  sound.  It  is  the  vocality, 
heard  in  v,  th-en,  z,  zh,  and  r,  modified  into  the  respective  articu- 
lation of  6,  d  and  ff.  The  vocality  of  6,  d  and  g,  in  ordinary 
speech  has  less  duration  and  intensity,  and  is  consequently  less 
perceptible  than  that  of  v,  tli-en,  z,  zh,  and  r,  but  is  the  same  in 
kind.     It  is  the  vocality  alone  of  b,  that  distinguishes  it  from  p. 

I  have  enumerated  y  and  w,  as  the  initial  sounds  of  ye  and  wo  ; 
since  y  is  a  vocality  like  that  of  the  other  subtonics,  mixed  with 
an  aspiration  over  the  tongue,  when  near  the  roof  of  the  mouth j 
and  w  a  similar  vocality,  mixed  with  a  breathing  thru  an  aperture 
in  the  protruded  lips.  As  b,  d,  g  and  zh  are  made  by  joining  vo- 
calities  instead  of  aspirations,  with  the  organic  positions  of  p,  t,  k, 
and  sh;  so  y  and  w  are  severaly  the  mixture  of  vocality  -with  the 
pure  aspiration  of  h,  as  heard  in  he,  and  of  wh,  in  wh-irVd.  The 
substitution  of  vocality  for  aspiration  changes  these  words  respec- 
tively to  ye  and  world. 

This  vocality  of  the  subtonics,  either  pure  or  mixed,  nasal  or 
oral,  is  variously  modified  by  the  nose,  tongue,  teeth  and  lips.  An 
entire  or  partial  obstruction  of  the  curent  of  breath  thru  the 
mouth,  and  a  subsequent  removal  of  the  obstruction,  produces  the 
peculiar  sound  of  the  subtonics :  for,  on  pronouncing  6,  d,  and  g, 
and  it  is  the  same  with  all,  the  voice  breaks  from  its  obstruction 
with  a  short  and  feeble  terminative  impulse.  It  is  in  the  mo- 
mentary terminative  portion  of  subtonic  sound,  heard  on  removing 
this  obstruction,  that  the  character  of  the  vocality,  in  some  of  these 
elements,  may  be  most  readily  perceved.  This  vocula  or  little 
voice,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  has  been  noticed  by  writers,  as  neces- 
ary  to  complete  the  uterance  of  the  class  of  Mutes ;  but  it  may  be 
heard  more  or  less  conspicuously  at  the  termination  of  all  the 
subtonics.  It  is  least  perceptible  in  those  having  the  most  aspira- 
tion. In  ordinary  uterance  it  is  short  and  feeble;  and  is  most 
obvious  in  forcible  or  in  afected  pronunciation.  When  the  sub- 
tonics precede  the  tonics,  they  lose  this  short  and  feeble  termina- 
tion, and  take  in  its  place  the  full  sound  of  the  suceeding  tonicj 
producing  an  abrupt  opening  of  the  tonic. 
8 


106  ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS. 

I  have  called  this  last-ventecl  sound  of  the  subtonics?,  the  Vocule^ 
pronouncing  o,  as  in  o-v^  and  Have  been  particular  in  noticing  and 
naming  it,  as  both  the  function  and  the  term  will  be  refered  to,  in 
treating  on  Sylabication,  and  on  Expresion. 

The  five  tonic  sounds,  to  which  the  vocalities  of  the  subtonics 
bear  a  resemblance,  are  ee-\,  e-nd,  i-n,  e-rr,  and  oo-ze.  Y-e  and 
lo-o  have  respectively  something  like  a  nasal  echo  of  ee-\,  and  oo-ze. 
£,  d,  g,  V,  th-en,  z,  zh  and  r  resemble  e-rr ;  I,  m,  and  n  have  some- 
thing of  the  sound  of  e-nd ;  and  ng,  of  t'-n. 

The  subtonics  are  subordinate  to  the  tonics  in  their  character 
and  uses.  The  kind  of  sound  is  less  agreeable.  Compared  with 
the  clear  vocal-fulnes  of  the  tonics,  it  is  obscured  in  the  purest ; 
and  in  others,  is  destroyed  by  aspiration.  They  are  severaly  capa- 
ble of  more  or  less  prolongation,  and  may  be  carried  thru  the  con- 
crete and  tremulous  variation  of  pitch.  None  admit  of  much 
force  in  their  vocality;  nor  can  initial  fulnes  be  given  to  them 
without  extraordinary  efort.  These  last  named  insuficiencies  pre- 
vent the  subtonics  from  forming,  like  the  tonics,  a  proper  radical 
abruptnes  on  the  concrete.  When  therefore  a  subtonic  precedes  a 
tonic,  as  in  the  sylable  vain,  the  vocality  of  v,  compared  with  the 
vocality  of  a,  is  so  feeble,  that  with  only  a  comon  efort  of  uter- 
ance,  there  is  an  absence  of  the  strong  and  suden  opening  of  the 
radical.  The  subtonic  does  make  a  shm^i  initial  to  the  sylable,  and 
then  breaks  from  its  vocule  into  the  suceding  tonic.  When  jpro- 
longed,  its  tendency  is  to  continue  on  one  line  of  pitch  until  the 
tonic  a  opens  from  the  vocality  of  v,  with  the  true  character  of  the 
radical.  It  must  not  from  this,  be  concludedj  the  subtonics  can  in 
nowise  form  the  opening  of  a  sylable ;  for  all  of  them  when  sepa- 
rately utered,  may  be  cjirried  concretely  thru  every  interval ;  and 
even  preceding  a  tonic,  a  strenuous  efort  may  somewhat  increase 
their  volume,  but  cannot  give  them  the  abruptnes  of  a  proper  rad- 
ical. In  ordinary  pronunciation,  they  are  scarcely  apreciated  as  a 
part  of  the  initial  concrete.    ' 

This  want  of  force  and  abruptnes  in  a  subtonic,  does  not  prevent 
it  from  fulfiling  the  purpose  of  the  vanish,  when  it  suecedes  a  tonic. 
In  the  sylable  van^  after  the  short  and  feeble  sound  of  v;  the  a 
begins  the  radical,  and  after  rising  thru  a  portion  of  the  interval, 
glides  into  the  subtonic  n,  which  caries  on  and  completes  the 


ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS.  107 

vani.sh.     This  coalescence  seems  to  be  the  result  of  the  tonics  havinsr 
no  final  (X'lusion,  and  consequently  no  vocule. 

The  remaining  nine  elements,  forming  the  thirJ  division,  are 
Aspirations,  and  have  not  that  kind  of  sound  caled  vocality.  They 
are  produced  by  a  curent  of  whispering  breath  thru  certain  internal 
and  external  parts  of  the  mouth.  They  are  heard  in  the  sound 
of  the  separated  italic,  in  the  words j 

U-p,  o\i-t,  ar-k,  \-f,  yes,  h-e,  wh-eat,  th-ln,  jiu-sh. 

From  their  limited  power  of  variation  in  pitch,  even  when  utered 
singly  with  the  designed  eftbrt  to  produce  it,  and  from  their  sup- 
lying  no  part  of  the  concrete  when  breathed  among  the  tonic 
and  subtonic  constituents  of  sylables,  I  have  caled  them  Atonic 
sounds. 

Writers  have  compared  their  articulative  production  with  that 
of  some  of  the  subtonicsj  showing  them,  respectively,  to  be  almost 
identical  yi  all  their  conditions  except  that  of  vocality,  which  is 
wanting  in  the  atonies. 

B.    D.    G.    V.    Z.    Y.    \V.    Th.    Zh.     Ng.  L.  M.  N.  R. 

P.    T.    K.    F.     S.    H.  \Vh.  Th.    Sh. 

This  whispering  imitation  not  being  made  on  all  the  sub- 
tonicsj the  five  exceptions  do  not  altogether  destroy  the  inference 
that  nature  has  her  '  formative  eifort'  towards  a  general  rule  of 
duplicature  in  these  creations.  The  m,  n,  and  ng  are  purely  nasal ; 
and  when  their  vocality  is  droped,  the  atempt  to  uter  them  by  the 
mere  breathing  of  the  atonies,  produces  in  each  case  similar  snuf- 
ling  aspirations.  Yet  even  this  snufling,  tho  no  reputed  element 
of  speech,  is  ased  before  the  vocality  of  n,  m,  or  ng,  as  the  inar- 
ticulate sign  of  sneer.  The  two  remaining  subtonics,  I  and  r,  are 
in  perfect  English  speech,  unmatched  by  atonies.  But  an  aspirated 
copy  of  /,  produced  by  a  kind  of  hising  over  the  moisture  of  the 
tongue,  is  ocasionaly  heard  :  and  a  true  atonic  paralel  to  r,  in  what 
is  called  the  '  Northumbrian  bur,'  is  in  Britain,  not  an  uncomon 
defect  of  uterance.* 

*  Bishop  Wilkins,  in  his  'Esuy  towards  a  real  character,'  has  enumerated 
the  aspirated  I  and  r,  among  the  jrovincial  vices  of  speech,  and  has  alottcd 
literal  symbols  to  them. 


108  ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS. 

The  Atonies,  from  the  unfitness  for  intonation  that  furnished 
the  etymology  of  their  name,  aford  no  vocal  means  for  the  rad- 
ical and  vanish.  Most  of  them  have  a  perceptible  vocule,  con- 
sisting of  a  short  aspiration  like  the  whispering  of  e-rr.  They 
have  no  tunable  sound ;  with  only  a  power  of  prolongation, 
on  a  poor  material :  and  tho  inferior  in  most  of  the  purposes 
of  speech,  to  the  other  elementsj  it  will  be  sho^vn  in  treating 
of  Expresion,  that  the  Aspiration  is  both  significative,  and  em- 
phatic. 

The  enumeration  under  the  preceding  divisions  includes  all  the 
elementary  sounds  of  the  English  language,  that  apart  from  ques- 
tionable and  unimportant  refinements,  have  been  noticed  by  ob- 
servant authors. 

Three  of  the  subtonics,  6,  d,  and  g,  and  three  of  the  atonies,  k, 
p,  and  t,  when  utered  before  a  tonic  have  eminently  an  explosive 
character ;  the  subtonic  bursting  from  its  oclusion  into  the  tonic. 
They  have  peculiar  purposes  in  speech,  and  being  distinguished  as 
a  subdivision,  may  be  caled  Abrupt  elements.  At  the  begining  of 
a  sylable  they  produce  a  suden  opening  of  the  suceeding  tonic ; 
and  at  the  end,  they  exhibit  a  final  vocule.  The  efect  of  these 
abrupt  elements  in  the  art  of  speaking,  will  be  shown  in  treating 
of  Expresion. 

The  foregoing  arangement  of  the  elementary  sounds  was  devised, 
to  give  a  general  view  of  their  respective  relationships  to  intona- 
tion. For  a  further  development  of  this  subject,  I  now  describe 
particularly,  the  structure  and  functions  of  the  Tonics, 

In  ilustrating  the  character  of  the  radical  and  vanishing  move- 
ment, it  was  shown  that  the  tonic  a-le,  utered  in  the  maner  then 
directed,  rises  with  its  two  kinds  of  sound,  thru  the  interval  of  a 
tone  or  wider  interval ;  the  radical  begining  on  a,  and  the  vanish 
diminishing  to  a  close  on  e.  Now  as  all  the  tonic  sounds  necesarily 
pass  by  the  radical  and  vanish,  they  demand  an  analysis  rela- 
tively to  it. 

These  seven  of  the  tonic  elements^ 

a-we,  a-rt,  a-n,  a-le,  isle,  o-ld,  ow-r, 
have  respectively,  diferent  sounds  at  their  two  extremes. 


ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS.  109 

The  remaining  fivej 

ee-l,  oo-zc,  e-rr,  €-nd,  z-n, 

have  each,  one  unaltered  sound  thruout  their  concrete. 

The  tonics  may  therefore  be  properly  divided  into  Dipthongs 
and  Monothongs. 

The  dipthong  a-we  has  for  its  radical  the  nominal  sound  of  a, 
in  a-we ;  its  vanish  is  a  short  and  obscure  sound  of  the  mouo- 
thong  e-rr, 

^-rt  has  for  its  radical  the  nominal  sound  of  a,  in  a-rt ;  its 
vanish,  like  that  of  the  preceding,  being  the  short  and  obscure 
sound  of  e-rr. 

The  radical  of  o-n  is  the  nominal  sound  of  a,  in  a-n.  Its  vanish 
is  the  same  in  degree  and  kind  as  the  last. 

The  sound  of  each  of  thase  elements  has  heretofore  been  con- 
sidered homogeneous;  for  their  vanish  being  feeble  in  ordinary 
uterance,  it  has  escaped  perception.  But  in  earnest  and  prolonged 
interogation,  these  dipthongs  will  severaly  terminate  at  a  high 
pitch,  in  a  faint  sound  of  e-rr. 

.4-le,  as  shown  formerly,  has  its  radical,  with  the  distinct  sound 
of  the  monothong  ee-l  for  its  vanishing  movement. 

Is\e  has  its  radical,  folowed  in  like  maner  by  a  vanish  of  the 
monothong  ee-\.  The  dipthongal  character  of  i,  has  long  been 
known,  and  the  discovery  of  it  is  atributed  to  Wallis  the  gram- 
marian. It  is  described  by  Sheridan  and  others,  as  consisting  of 
a-we  and  ee-\ ;  the  coalescence  of  the  two  producing  the  peculiar 
sound  of  i.  In  this  acount,  it  is  admited  that  the  element  is 
peculiar;  there  is  therefore  no  need  of  reference  to  a-we,  in  the 
theory  of  its  causation.  A  skilful  ear  will  readily  percevej  the 
radical  of  t-sle  is  a  peculiar  tonic,  and  ascribe  it  to  a  peculiar 
mechanism  of  its  own. 

0-ld  has  its  radical  in  the  sound  of  o,  formerly  suposed  to  be 
homogeneous.  Its  vanish  is  the  distinctly  audible  soun'd  of  the 
monothong  oo-ze. 

Ovr-T  has  a  radical,  folowed  in  like  maner  by  a  vanish  of  the 
monothong  oo-ze.  That  the  first  sound  of  this  di])thongal  tonic  is 
not  a-we,  but  a  radical  of  its  own,  may  easily  be  proved  to  a  dis- 
criminating ear ;  for  it  will  be  learned  by  experiment,  that  a-we 


110  ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS. 

does  not  unite  with  oo-zq,  by  the  easy  gliding  transition  heard  in 
the  junction  of  the  true  radical  of  ow-r  with  the  same  oo-ze. 

I  have  been  at  a  loss  what  to  say  of  the  sound  signified  by  oi 
and  oy,  as  in  voice  and  hoy.  It  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  dip- 
thongal  tonic,  consisting  of  the  radical  a-we,  and  of  the  vanish- 
ing monothong  i-n  when  the  quantity  of  the  element  is  short,  and 
of  ee-\  when  long.  But  from  the  habit  of  the  voice,  it  is  dificult 
to  give  a-we  without  ading  its  usual  vanish  e-rr ;  and  this  makes 
the  compound  a  tripthong.  If  taken  as  a  dipthongal  tonic,  this 
is  the  only  instance  in  which  the  same  radical  has  two  diferent 
vanishes.  And  tlio  this  shud  not  be  conclusive  against  its  clasi- 
fication,  it  mit  make  a  subject  for  inquiry.  In  case  the  sound 
shud  be  considered  as  a  true  dipthongal  tonic,  and  analogies  seem 
in  favor  of  it,  the  number  of  tonics  would  be  thirteen,  and  the 
whole  of  the  elements  thirty-six.  This  point  is  however  scarcely 
worth  the  time  of  doubting,  much  less  of  dispute. 

The  seven  radical  sounds  with  their  vanishes  described,  include, 
as  far  as  I  observe,  all  the  elementary  dipthongs  of  the  English 
language.  In  the  comon  scholastic  definition,  the  terms  dipthong 
and  tripthong  mean  a  combination  respectively  of  two  or  of  three 
visible  letters,  not  a  fluent  union  of  phonetic  elements,  Acording 
to  the  foregoing  history,  and  under  our  view,  the  term  dipthong 
denotes  the  transition  of  the  voice  from  one  tonic  sound  to  another ; 
forming  the  impulse  of  one  sylable,  by  a  continued  gliding,  with- 
out a  perceptible  change  of  organic  efort,  in  the  transition.  By 
the  term  elementary,  aplied  to  a  dipthong,  I  mean  to  point  out  the 
inseparable  bond  of  its  constituents ;  the  ordination  or  the  habit, 
whichever  it  may  be,  of  the  voice,  having  so  decrede  the  series  of 
the  two  sounds,  that  the  first  or  radical  cannot  be  utered  witliout 
terminating  in  the  second  or  vanish. 

The  remaining  five  tonics  are  monothongs,  and  have  one  kind 
of  sound  for  both  the  radical  and  vanishing  movements.  They 
arej       ' 

oo-ze,  ee-1,  e-rr,  e-nd,  i-n. 

The  element  ee-\  deliberately  utered  as  a  question  witli  earnest 
surprise,  has  the  same  unvaried  sound  from  the  radical  outset,  to 
the  end  of  its  vanish.     One  of  the  forms  of  interogation  will  be 


ALPHABETIC   ELEMENTS.  1  1 1 

shown  hereafter  to  be  the  interval  of  a  radical  and  vanisliing 
octave;  and  the  same  homogeneoas  course  of  ee-\  may  be  heard 
on  the  fifth,  third,  tone,  and  semitone.  This  maner  of  displaying 
the  course  of  the  uncluinged  concrete  in  ee-1,  will  sliow  tlie  like 
uniformity  of  sound  in  each  of  the  other  monothongs,  with  the 
exception  of  i-n.  This  element  has  its  distinct  and  proper  sound, 
only  in  short  sylables ;  and  by  prolongation,  is  changed  into  ee-\. 
We  leave  others  to  consider  it,  if  they  please,  as  a  short  and  abrupt 
utterance  of  ee-l. 

The  diference  between  these  two  classes  of  tonics,  as  here 
described,  may  be  otherwise  shown.  "We  learned  in  the  last  sec- 
tion, the  distinction  between  the  equable  concrete  of  speech,  and 
the  protracted  radical  and  protracted  vanish  of  song.  When  the 
dipthongs  are  sung  with  a  protracted  vanish,  the  voice  quickly 
leaves  the  radical,  and  dweLs  in  a  continued  note  on  the  diferent 
sound  of  the  vanish.  The  protracted  note,  in  the  vanish  of  a 
raonothong,  is  the  same  in  sound  as  the  radical. 

Another  ilustration  of  the  real  dipthongal  character  of  seven 
of  the  tonics,  may  be  drawn  from  the  phenomena  of  rhyme. 
Rhyme  is  a  well  known  relationship  in  the  sound  of  sylablesj 
consisting,  in  most  cases,  of  a  diference  between  the  first  elemental 
sound  of  each  of  the  compared  sylables,  with  an  identity  between 
all  the  subsequent  elemental  sounds,  each  to  each;  the  agreable 
effect  of  rhyme  depending  chiefly  on  the  particular  relations  of  the 
tonic  sounds.  The  first  is  the  relation  of  tonics  strictly  identical, 
asj  dame,  came.  The  second,  of  tonics  with  a  diferent  radical, 
but  the  same  vanishing  movement,  asj  cars,  wars.  The  third,  ol 
tonics  difering  both  in  their  radicals  and  vanishes,  yet  of  nearest 
resemblance  in  their  kind  of  vocality,  asj  good,  blood. 

Tlie  use  of  the  second  kind  of  rhyme  shows  the  composition  of 
the  dipthongal  tonics.  In  the  folowing  lines,  the  corespondencc 
of  oo-ze,  in  doom,  with  o-ld,  in  home  ;  and  of  a-le,  in  obey,  with 
ee-\,  in  tea,  is  admited  as  canonical,  from  an  identity  of  the  van- 
ishes of  a-le  and  o-ld,  respectively  with  the  monothongs  ce-\  and 

OO-ZXi. 

Hore  Britain's  statesmen  oft  the  fall  foredoom 
Of  foreii^n  tyrants,  and  of  nymphs  at  home ; 
Here  thou,  great  Anna  !   whom  three  realms  obey, 
Dost  somolimes  counsel  takcj  and  somctiines  tea. 


112  ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS. 

The  aslmilation  of  the  sounds  of  a-le  and  ee-\,  by  the  identity 
of  their  vanishes,  in  the  four  folowing  rhymesj  together  with  an 
inflexible  prosaic  rythmus,  in  the  last  couplet,  produces  the  mo- 
notony and  the  want  of  elegance  in  the  example. 

Swift  to  the  Lock  a  thousand  sprites  repair, 
A  thousand  wings,  by  turns,  blow  back  the  hair ; 
And  thrice  they  twitch 'd  the  diamond  in  her  ear ; 
Thrice  she  looked  back,  and  thrice  the  foe  drew  near. 

Besides  the  diferences  arising  from  singlenes  of  sound,  and  from 
dipthongal  combination,  the  tonics  exhibit  a  variety  in  time  both 
when  utered  separately,  and  in  sylabic  conection.  Two  general 
divisions  may  be  made. 

A-we,  a-rt,  a-n,  a-le,  ee-1,  isle,  ou-r,  oo-ze, 

may  be  caled  longj 

e-rr,  e-nd,  and  i-n, 

short  tonics.  It  is  not  to  be  suposedj  the  later  may  not  by  de- 
signed efort  be  made  as  long  as  the  former  :  they  have  their  places 
in  this  arangement,  from  their  usual  time  in  English  sylables.  By 
prolongation,  i-n  changes  nearly  if  not  entirely  into  ee-1 :  and  as 
it  seems  to  owe  its  character  in  short  pronunciation,  to  its  ab- 
ruptness, it  might  be  merged  in  ee-1,  and  rejected  as  a  distinct 
element.  When  the  long  tonics  are  combined  with  other  elements 
into  sylables,  their  time  is  of  every  distinguishable  degree,  from  a 
momentary  impulse  to  the  longest  pasionate  uterance  of  an  inter- 
jection, asj  from  o-tt  to  a-we,  from  ou-t  to  h-oio,  from  a-t  to  a-h ! 
from  a-te  to  h-ay,  j^-ea-t  to  ee-1,  f-oo-t  to  oo-ze,  c-a-rt  to  a-rms, 
k-i-te  to  isle. 

The  time  of  the  short  tonics  in  combination,  has  much  less  va- 
riety. But  however  rapidly  any  of  the  tonics  may  be  pronounced, 
they  do  even  in  their  least  duration,  still  pass  by  the  concrete 
movement. 

All  the  elements  except  the  abrupt  atonies  Jc,  p,  t,  have  a  variety 
in  duration.  The  vocality  of  the  subtonics  alFonls  the  means  of 
their  time,  and  its  prolongation  is  next  in  importance  to  that  of 
the  tonics,  for  the  purposes  of  correct  and  elegant  spec»ch. 

Should  it  be  askedj  why  the  dipthongs  are  here  designated  as 


ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS.  113 

elementiiry,  when  each  may  be  resolved  into  greater  simplicity,  it 
may  l)e  answeredj  the  dipthongs,  being  compounded  of  different 
successive  sounds,  are  yet  inseparable  in  utterance :  and  regarding 
an  element  as  a  single  impulse  of  the  voice,  the  dipthong  must  be 
classed  with  it.  I  cannot  pronounce  the  radical  of  a  dipthong 
without  in  some  manner,  giving  also  its  vanish.  The  radical  may 
be  indefinitely  sustained  on  its  level  line  of  pitch,  and  we  may 
attempt  to  cut  it  off  by  a  sudden  occlusion  of  the  voice  ;  still  it 
can  be  terminated  only  by  a  glide  thru  the  vanish,  which,  however 
quick,  or  feeble,  or  varied  by  aspiration  or  otherwise,  from  its 
proper  sound,  may  still  be  heard.  In  the  equable  concrete  of 
speech,  the  rapid  pronunciation  of  a  dipthong,  and  the  feebleness 
of  its  vanish,  may  lessen  the  audibility  of  this  second  soundj  yet 
to  an  attentive  ear  it  ^vill  not  be  altogether  lost.  And  further, 
not  only  does  the  radical  of  a  dipthong  demand  its  own  peculiar 
vanish,  but  it  cannot  be  made  on  a  given  interval  without  sliding 
into  that  v^anish.  For  in  exercising  a  concrete  octave  on  the  dip- 
thong a-we  or  a-lej  tho  its  radical  may  by  effort  be  continued  up 
to  the  seventh  of  the  scalej  the  final  close  on  the  eighth  \v411  un- 
avoidably turn  respectively  to  e-rr  or  ee-\.  A  similar  change  takes 
place  on  all  smaller  intervals,  in  an  endeavor  to  make  monothongs 
of  the  dipthongal  radicals. 

If  an  elementar}'  character  should  be  denied  to  the  dipthongs, 
by  regarding  them  as  separable  sounds,  it  would  not  increase  the 
number  of  simple  tonics  beyond  twelve ;  for  the  Reader  may  have 
already  remarked^  the  vanishing  portions  of  the  dipthongs  consist 
exclusively  of  the  monothongs. 

It  follows,  from  what  has  been  said  on  the  indivisible  sound 
of  the  dipthongs,  that  radicals  cannot  be  unital  with  any  other 
vanishes,  than  those  already  ordained  in  the  practice  of  the  voice : 
and  notwithstanding  what  has  l)een  observed,  transcribed,  and 
assumed  by  writers  on  the  subject  of  the  dipthongal  union  of  the 
vowels,  the  instances  here  enumerated  appear  to  be  all  belonging 
to  English  speech.  Other  combinations  want  the  smooth  transi- 
tion and  singleness  of  sylabic  impulse,  characterizing  a  dipthong, 
and  heard  perfectly  united,  only  in  the  double  sound  of  the  above 
named  seven  elementary  tonics. 

As  the  dipthongal  tonics  are  respectively  produced  by  joining  a 


114  ALPHABETIC  ELEMENTS. 

monothong  to  a  radical  of  different  sound,  and  as  all  the  possible 
permutations  of  their  union  are  not  employed,  we  may  inquire^  if 
it  is  within  the  power  of  the  voice  to  make  a  greater  number  of 
dipthongs  than  here  enumerated,  by  uniting,  severally,  every  mon- 
othong with  each  radical  tonic.  As  there  are  seven  radicals  and 
five  monothongs,  we  might  upon  this  scheme,  have  thirty-five  dip- 
thongs. It  appears  however,  we  have  only  eight,  supposing  oi  to 
be  included :  the  radical  of  a-we,  as  stated  above,  being  by  this 
supposition,  severally  combinable  with  two  monothongs,  and  each 
of  the  rest  with  one.  Other  combinations  may  be  made;  but  they 
have  not  a  fluent  transition,  like  those  which  already  belong  to  the 
language  and  have  their  literal  symbols.  Would  these  new  com- 
binations call  for  a  management  of  voice  not  altogether  instinctive, 
and  therefore  requiring  a  practice  and  skill,  not  yet  reached  in 
English  speech  ?  Have  any  of  these  supposed  dipthongs  been  ad- 
mitted among  the  alphabetic  elements  of  other  nations  ?  And  are 
these  unused  materials  of  the  voice  to  be  classed  with  those  re- 
sources destined  to  afford  their  benefits  upon  some  new  revolution 
with  the  widening  demands  of  the  human  inteligencej  when  the  in- 
tellect, turned  from  its  perversions,  and  restored  to  nature's  intended 
rules,  shall,  with  an  exalted  choice,  prefer  sobriety  of  thot  to  its 
intoxication,  and  cease  to  love  fiction  better  than  truth  ?  In  re- 
garding the  construction  of  the  dipthongs,  we  may  under  another 
view,  consider  them  as  proper  sylables  compounded  of  a  tonic  and 
subtonic ;  since  the  monothongs  as  vanishes  to  the  radical  tonics, 
have  in  some  degree  the  character  of  subtonics ;  and  then  lose  the 
radical  fulness  they  have  when  uttered  alone.  The  vanish  of  a-\e 
is  very  nearly  alied  to  y-e,  if  not  identical  with  it ;  and  the  vanish 
of  ou-T  bears  as  near  a  relation  to  w-o.  It  will  be  evident  too  on 
trial,  that  if  a  radical  character  is  given  to  these  vanishes,  they  do 
not  unite  with  the  previous  radical  into  one  dipthongal  impulse  of 
the  voice.  And  may  we  under  this  view,  askj  if  the  other  mono- 
thongs, when  modified  by  subtonic  coalescence,  mit  be  severaly 
joined  with  our  present  radicals,  and  even  with  one  another,  and 
be  formed  into  new  dipthongal  sylables  ? 

In  a  former  part  of  this  section  it  was  saidj  tlie  ti'ue  elemental 
subtonics  are  independent  sounds ;  uterable  without  the  '  lielp  of 
a  vowel '  or  tonic ;  contrary  to  the  common  granvitical  definition 


ON   SYLABICATION.  115 

of  a  coiisduant;  their  own  obscure  voealities  bearing  respectively, 
a  resemblance  to  those  of  the  five  moiiothongs.  Hence  some 
sylables  may  be  formed  exclusively  by  subtonics.  In  the  words 
bidde-n,  i-dle,  schis-m,  ryth-m,  rive-n,  scru-ple,  and  words  of  like 
construction,  the  la.st  sylable  is  either  purely  subtonic,  or  a  combi- 
nation of  subtonic  and  atonic.  And  if  these  final  sylables  do  go 
thru  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement,  they  are  far  inferior  in 
quality,  abruptnes,  eutony  and  force,  to  the  full  display  of  these 
properties  on  the  tonics.  The  reason  why  w'ords  of  this  construc- 
tion are  necesarily  divided  into  two  sylables,  will  apear  in  the 
folowing  section. 


SECTION  IV. 

Of  the  influence  of  (lie  Radical  and  Vanishing  Movenierd,  in  the 
production  of  the  various  phcnometm  of  Sylables. 

The  foregoing  history  of  elementary  sounds  and  of  the  radical 
and  vanishing  movement,  will  enable  us  to  explain  some  of  the 
phenomena  of  Sylabication. 

What  are  the  particular  functions  of  the  voice  that  produce  the 
characteristics  of  sylables  ? 

What  determines  their  length  ? 

Why  are  sylables  limited  in  length,  otherwise  than  by  the  term 
of  expiration :  and  what  produces  their  ordinary  length,  when 
there  is  no  obstruction  to  the  further  continuation  of  the  sound*  of 
tonic  and  subtonic  elements  ? 

And  finalyj  what  prescribes  the  rule  that  alows  but  one  acent  to 
a  sylable  ? 

I  shall  answer  these  questions  by  fiic  principles  of  vocal  analy- 
sis, showingj 

That  an  elemental  sound,  or  the  order  of  elemental  sounds  cale<l 
a  sylable,  is  a  necesary  efect,  or  acompanimcnt  of  the  radical 
and  vanishing  movement;  and  every  sylable  consisting  of  one 
or  more  of  these  sounds,  derives  its  singlenes  of  impulse,  and 


116  ON  SYLABICATION. 

its  respective  length,  from  certain  relations  between  this  con- 
crete movement  and  the  various  tonic,  subtonic,  and  atonic  ele- 
ments. As  the  Reader  cannot  have  from  me,  vocal  exemplifica- 
tion of  this  subjectj  a  decision  upon  the  argument  contained  in  the 
foloM^ng  conditions  and  inferences  is  left  to  his  own  experimental 
inquiry. 

If  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement  of  the  voice  thru  a 
tone  or  other  interval,  is  an  esential  function  of  a  sylable,  it 
folows  that  each  of  the  tonics  may  by  itself,  form  a  sylable : 
since  they  cannot  be  pronounced  singly,  without  going  thru  the 
radical  and  vanish.  Now  the  tonics  are  emjjloyed  for  mono- 
sylabic  words,  in  eye,  a,  awe;  for  interjective  particles,  in  oh, 
ah;  and  for  mono-literal  sylables,  as  in  a-corn,  oi<-rang,  o-ver, 
e-vade. 

It  folows  also  from  the  asumed  causation  of  a  sylable,  that  two 
of  the  tonics  cannot  be  miited  into  one  vocal  impulse.  For  each 
having  its  own  radical  and  vanish,  they  must  produce  two  sepa- 
rate sylables.  Consistently  with  this,  whenever  two  elementary 
tonics  adjoin,  they  always  belong  to  different  sylables  in  pronun- 
ciation, as  in  a-e-rial,  o-a-sis,  and  i-o-ta. 

If  the  radical  and  vanish  alone  of  the  voice  makes  a  sylable 
what  it  isj  it  folows  that  the  atonies  being  incapable  of  that 
function,  cannot  make  a  new  and  distinct  sylabic  impulse  when 
joined  with  the  tonics.  The  word  speaks  exhibits  the  meaning  of 
this  inference.  For  the  sylabic  concrete  is  here  made  on  a  short 
sound  of  the  tonic  ee-\ ;  while,  s,  p,  k  and  s,  add  to  the  time,  but 
do  not  destroy  the  monosylabic  character  of  that  word.  It  is 
true,  the  s  on  each  extreme  is  a  distinct  sound,  but  having  no 
radical  and  vanish,  it  has  no  more  the  character  of  a  sylable 
than  the  hising  of  a  water-jet ;  and  therefore  does  not  interfere 
with  the  singlenes  of  impulse.  The  voice  in  this  word  is  not 
so  gliding  as. on  a  single  tonic,  which  shows  a  sylable  in  its  purest 
form ;  yet  this  obstruction  is  very  diferent  from  that  of  the  three- 
fold division,  in  the  word  Ohio.  For  when  this  is  pronounced 
with  a  radical  and  vanish  on  each  of  its  tonics,  they  cannot  be 
contracted  into  one  undivided  sound.  In  answer  then  to  the  first 
questioiij  It  is  the  concrete,  nKxlified  by  the  several  elements,  that 
produces  the  characteristics  of  those  impulses  caled  sylables. 


ox  SYLABICATION.  117 

Sylables  are  of  (liferent  lengths.  Is  this  an  arbitraiy  variation, 
or  is  it  the  unavoidable  efect  of  the  concrete  function,  and  of  the 
elementary  sounds? 

This  question  is  not  asked  in  reference  to  prosodial  quanti- 
ties; nor  to  tliose  emphatic  prolongations  of  voice,  that  give 
force  or  solemnity  to  oratorical  expresion.  It  regards  esjiecialy 
the  diferenoe  of  length  in  sylables,  created  by  their  elementary 
constituents ;  for  it  will  be  shown  that  the  limit  of  a  sylable  is 
determined  by  the  character  and  arangement  of  these,  within  the 
concrete. 

To  render  this  subject  perspicuous,  let  us  take  a  synthetic  view 
of  the  literal  series  in  words. 

Several  of  the  tonics,  as  sho^vn  above,  individualy  and  alone 
form  words  and  sylables.  These  exhibit  the  sylabic  impulse  of 
the  radical  and  vanish  in  its  Simple  condition ;  and  their  length 
may  equal  that  of  the  time  of  expiration ;  forming  a  few  excep- 
tions to  the  limitation  of  extent,  in  all  other  sylables.  But  ele- 
ments cannot  be  combined  with  a  view  to  lengthen  a  sylable,  by 
the  adition  of  one  tonic  to  another ;  for  this  would  produce  a  new 
and  separate  impulse. 

A  combination  of  elements,  with  relation  to  the  length  of  syla- 
bles, is  made  under  the  folowing  circumstances  of  their  character, 
and  position.  When  to  the  element  a-le  the  atonic  /  Is  prefixed, 
the  sylable /a  is  formed  with  the  concrete  rise  on  a  preceded  by 
the  atonic  aspiration.  If  to  these  the  atonic  s  should  be  subjoined, 
the  word  fas  {face)  will  be  longer  than  the  combined  elements  / 
and  a  ;  still  tlie  triple  compound  will  be  one  sylable,  having  only 
one  concrete  rise.  For  tho  these  two  atonies  may  be  clearly  heard 
as  part  of  the  length  of  the  sylable,  yet  being  incapable  of  the 
concrete  function,  the  radical  and  vanish  of  the  given  interval 
is  made  altogether  on  a,  as  if  the  word  consisted  of  that  element 
alone.  The  adition  of  atonies  to  tonics  both  prefixed  and  subjoined 
is  then  the  first  nianer  of  increasing  the  length,  of  a  sylable, 
without  destroying  its  singlenes  of  impulse. 

Further,  when  to  the  tonic  a,  the  subtonic  I  is  prefixed,  the 
sylable  la  is  longer  than  a,  yet  has  only  one  radical  and  vanish. 
It  was  said  formerly,  that  with  a  subtonic  before  a  tonic,  the 
vanish  of  the  subtonic  does  not  ocur ;  for  when  the  subtonic  is 


118  ON   SYLABICATIOX. 

'prolonged,  it  continues  on  one  level  line  of  pitch,  till  its  vocule 
opens  into  the  tonic,  which  then  begins  the  intended  interval  with 
its  radical,  and  completes  it  with  its  vanish  ;  but  in  comon  uter- 
ance,  the  vocule  of  the  subtonic  breaks  at  once  into  the  radical 
of  the  tonic,  which  in  this  case  begins  as  well  as  completes  the 
interval.  In  the  sylable  la,  I  does  begin  the  impulse  with  its 
vocality,  and  imediately,  without  perceptible  rise  or  prolongation, 
joins  the  vocality  of  a  ;  a  then  opening,  from  the  vocule  of  I,  with 
a  full  emphatic  radical,  rises  and  vanishes  on  the  e  of  its  uper  ex- 
treme. If  to  la  the  subtonic  v  should  be  subjoined,  the  compound 
lav  {lave)  will  be  longer  than  la  ;  yet  its  sylabic  character  will  be 
preserved,  by  the  singlenes  of  its  radical  and  vanish.  In  the 
pronunciation  of  lav,  the  intonation  of  I  and  a  will  be  as  before, 
except  that  a,  with  its  joint  e,  still  perfect  as  a  dipthong,  will  not 
now  rise  so  high  on  the  concrete ;  for  a  subtonic  being  capable  of 
the  gliding  concrete,  v  will  in  this  case  unite  with  the  e  of  the  dip- 
thong before  it  reaches  the  uper  limit  of  the  interval,  and  complete 
the  vanish  of  the  sylable.  The  junction  of  subtonic  elements  with 
tonics,  both  in  pre  and  post  position  is  therefore  a  second  manner 
of  ading  to  the  length  of  a  sylable,  without  destroying  the  unity 
of  the  radical  and  vanishing  concrete. 

Moreover,  if  the  abrupt  element  t  be  prefixed  to  a,  the  sylable 
ta  will  be  but  a  single  impulse.  If  ^  be  subjoined,  the  word  tag 
will  still  have  only  one  radical  and  vanish.  In  this  way,  two 
abrupt  atonies  joined  with  short  tonics,  in  cut,  pet,  tik,  produce  the 
shortest  sylables  in  the  language ;  yet  here  the  concrete  movement, 
however  short,  is  still  performed^  the  radical  of  the  tonic,  opening 
from  the  first  abrupt  element,  and  the  vanish  being  sudenly  cut-off, 
by  closing  on  the  last.  This  prefixing  and  subjoining  of  abrupt 
elements  with  tonics  is  a  third  maner  of  preserving  the  singlenes 
of  impulse  in  a  sylable,  under  the  variation  of  its  length. 

The  three  diferent  sorts  of  combination  described  above,  pro- 
duce their  various  lengths,  in  the  maner  represented  by  the  exam- 
ples under  each  head.  But  none  of  them  can  be  much  extended 
beyond  the  given  instances,  while  they  are  restricted  to  the  kind 
of  elements  employed  in  their  respective  cases. 

A  fourth  maner  of  combining  elements  is  by  a  union  of  all  the 
different  kinds,  in  one  sylable.     To  ilustrate  this,  we  have  only  to 


ON   SYLABICATION.  119 

consider,  tliat  whenever  a  subtonic  is  folowed  by  a  pause,  conse- 
quently whenever  it  is  uterecl  singly,  or  at  the  end  of  a  sylablej 
it  unavoidably  asunios  the  concrete  movement ;  and  that  the  same 
takes  place  when  a  subtonic  is  folowed  by  an  atonic,  as  in  this 
case  there  is  a  termination  of  vocality ;  which  in  efect,  is  equivalent 
to  a  pause.  In  each  of  the  words  strange,  (properly  stranchh)  and 
strength,  and  the  suposed  sylable  sglivzd,  there  is  but  one  radical 
and  vanishing  movement ;  and  the  singlenes  of  impulse  is  owing 
to  the  peculiar  arangement  of  the  diferent  kinds  of  elements. 
Each  consists  of  seven  sounds,  and  this  is  perhaps  the  greatest 
number  the  varied  character  of  the  elements  alows  to  a  sylable, 
even  wtli  the  best  contrived  combination.  The  radical  and  vanish 
of  these  several  sylables  is  made  on  ange,  eng  and  ivzd,  and  tlie 
principle  of  vocal  management  of  the  other  elements  is  the  same 
in  each  ;  for  r  and  I  being  subtonics  respectively  before  the  tonics 
«-lc,  e-nd,  and  i-le,  do  not  take-on  the  concrete.  T  being  an  ab- 
rupt atonic,  adds  nothing  to  the  vocality  of  r,  and  the  preceding 
atonic  s,  having  no  concrete  function,  the  three  elements  s,  t,  and 
r,  in  strange,  and  strength,  and  the  s,  g  and  I  in  the  suposed  syl- 
able, slightly  lengthen  the  begining  of  these  several  words,  with- 
out destroying  the  unity  of  their  impulses ;  while  the  n,  d,  and  zh, 
the  ng,  the  v,  z,  and  d,  which  respectively  folow  the  tonics,  a,  e, 
and  i,  take  up  the  concrete  movement  from  these  tonics,  and  severaly 
complete  the  vanish  of  the  single  sylabic  impulse.  The  final  atonic 
th,  in  strength,  only  adds  to  the  time  of  that  word,  witliout  bearing 
part  in  the  concrete.  The  constituents  in  each  of  the  above  words 
may  be  combined  into  one  sylable,  in  other  series :  but  in  all  cases, 
the  atonies  must  be  on  the  extremes.  If  otherwise,  as  in  the  ar- 
rangement rstange,  the  whole  cannot  be  pronounced  as  one  sylable. 
For  the  vocality  of  r,  ceasing  on  acount  of  the  subsequent  atonic  s, 
this  r  must  take  on  the  concrete  movement,  and  become  a  sylable. 
Tlie  Reader  may  rememljer,  it  was  saidj  the  subtonics  are  capable 
of  the  radical  and  vanish  when  utered  separately ;  and  the  termi- 
nation of  their  sound  by  an  atonic,  produces  this  condition.  In 
the  alwvc  combinations,  and  in  such  sylables  as  marl,  lorn,  and  bold, 
the  subtonics  unite  smoothly  not  only  with  the  radical,  and  witli 
the  vanish  of  a  tonic,  but  they  then)solves  unite,  in  their  concrete 
niovement,  smoothly  with  each  other.    Nor  is  it  obvious,  why  tlie 


120 


ON  SYLABICATION. 


oclusion  of  the  subtonics  should  not  in  this  last  case,  interfere  with 
the  gliding  of  the  sylabic  concrete. 

I  have  endeavored  to  show,  that  the  various  lengths  of  sylables 
depend  on  the  kind  and  arangement  of  their  constituent  elements, 
in  the  execution  of  the  radical  and  vanish. 

The  folowing  notation  may  ilustrate  the  preceding  acount  of  the 
structure  of  sylables.     This  scheme  represents  the  movement  of  a 


-5  ^ 


£    H 


H    -g     o 
<1  < 


S    ^     S* 


L.4LA..JJ..jnUl-^±J-l.i^ 


A-e 


F-A-e    F-A-e-s    L-A-e  L-A-e-v     T-A-e    T-A-e-k 


A  combination  of  each  of  the 
species  of  elements. 


The  double  sylabic 
impulse  by  change. 


T     II  ^...^ 


St — r-andzh 


St — r-eng — th 


K-r     St — andzh 


third ;  but  it  is  the  same  in  all  intervals.  The  doted  line  denotes 
the  atonic,  aspiration.  The  thick  black  line  united  to  the  radical 
denotes  a  prolonged  note  of  the  subtonic,  when  it  precedes  a  tonic, 
and  opens  into  its  radical.  It  is  marked  as  a  line,  to  represent  its 
vocality,  and  to  distinguish  it  from  the  doted  points  of  the  atonies 
or  aspirations.  In  ordinary  uterance  without  emphatic  extension, 
this  line  is  of  but  momentary  length.  The  full  black  radical,  with 
its  isuing  apendage,  signifies  the  tonic  alone,  or  the  tonic  in  com- 
bination with  a  vanishing  subtonic. 

In  this  notation,  the  atonic  sounds  are  represented  by  the  doted 
lines,  in  certain  places  of  pitch.  Aspirations  however,  have  no 
apreciable  relation  to  the  pitch  of  the  tonics  and  subtonics;  and  I 
beg  the  Reader  may  so  regard  the  notation,  where  the  atonic  sym- 
bols are  used  to  show  the  presence  of  the  aspirated  voice. 

If  the  principle  of  sylabication  does  not  depend  on  a  restriction 
by  the  concrete,  and  on  the  kind  and  position  of  the  elements, 
here  asignedj  a  single  sylable  might  contain  an  indefinite  number 
of  tonic  sounds,  combined  with  such  other  elements  as  have  no 


ON   SYLABICATION.  121 

marked  ocliision ;  and  consequently,  the  length  of  the  sylable 
would  be  limited  only  by  the  time  of  expiration;  the  posibility  of 
^vhiih  case  Mill  be  considered  presently.  ]iiit  from  the  influence 
of  the  radical  and  vanLsh,  in  the  comon  agregates  of  elementary 
sounds,  tlie  duration  of  a  sylable  is  quickly  arested.  Of  the  twelve 
tonics;  fourteen  subtonics;  nine  atonies;  and  six  abrupt  elements, 
the  nine  atonies  and  the  three  abrupt  subtonics,  being  protluctive 
of  an  interuption  to  the  amtinuity  of  the  sylabic  impulsej  the 
promiscuous  mingling  of  all  the  elements  must  give  one  of  these 
an  average  position  in  every  third  or  fourth  place  among  the  tonics 
and  subtonics,  and  thereby  set  a  limit  to  the  duration  of  sylabic 
sound.  Sometimes  this  interuption  produces  sylables  of  two  ele- 
ments only ;  and  it  has  never  perhaps  in  the  English  language, 
alowed  any  sylable  in  use,  to  have  more  than  seven. 

The  cause  why  the  words  strange  and  strength  cannot  be  made 
longer,  without  more  than  ordinary  efort,  is  this.  Tonic  elements 
cannot  be  aded,  as  no  two  of  them  can  be  united  into  one  vocal 
impulse.  Nor  will  these  words  bear  a  subtonic  at  the  begining  ; 
for  s  being  an  atonic,  and  producing  a  pause,  any  subtonic  utered 
before  it  must  therefore  go  thru  its  radical  and  vanish  and  form  a 
separate  sylable.  An  atonic  prefixed  to  these  words  would  not 
make  a  new  concrete,  but  would  produce  a  varying  efort  of  hising 
and  aspiration,  bearing  no  resemblance  to  the  easy  gliding  of  tonic 
and  subtonic  sylabication. 

In  answer  then  to  the  question^  why  sylables  are  not  continual 
to  the  utmost  length  of  an  act  of  expiration,  it  has  been  shown, 
that  as  si>eech  employs  all  the  elements,  the  abrupt  and  atonic 
must  necesarily  divide  the  time  of  one  expiration  into  diferent 
sylabic  impulses. 

From  the  four  kinds  of  elementary  sounds  employed  in  the  con- 
struction of  sylables,  let  us  now  supose  the  atonic  and  abrupt  to  be 
rejected,  and  consequently  the  last  mentioned  cause  of  limitation 
to  be  removed.  Why  is  it  imposible  in  this  case,  to  give  indefi- 
nite length  to  a  sylable  formed  by  the  union  of  a  tonic  with  any 
numl)er  of  subtonics  ?  Or,  why  is  such  a  sylable  otherwise  limited 
tlian  l)y  the  term  of  expiration  ? 

When  a  tonic  precedes  a  subtonic  in  the  formation  of  a  concrete 
inter\'al,  it  gives  up  a  portion  of  its  concrete  movement  to  the  sub- 
9 


122  ON  SYX,ABICATIOX. 

tonic,  which  then  caries  on  and  completes  the  vanisli.  In  this  way, 
the  radical  and  vanish  may  consist  of  a  tonic  and  one,  ts\'o,  three, 
or  at  most,  four  subtonics.  But  the  number  cannot  in  easy  pro- 
nunciation, be  extended  beyond  these.  In  the  sylable  strandzh 
(strange)  the  concrete  rise  begins  on  a,  and  continuing  thru  n,  d 
and  zh,  vanishes  on  the  last.  With  two  more  subtonics  v  and  m, 
subjoined  to  this  word,  as  in  strandshvm,  few  speakers  could  make 
one  pure  sylabic  impulse  of  the  combination.  The  cause  of  this 
dificulty,  or  as  we  may  call  it,  imposibility,  will  apear  in  the 
folowing  remarks. 

In  an  ordinary  use  of  the  voice,  the  concrete  rises  or  falls  thru 
the  intervals  of  a  tone,  or  third,  or  fifth  ;  and  employs  therein  a 
certain  portion  of  time.  The  concrete  and  the  time  of  these  in- 
tervals may  be  executed  on  one  tonic,  combined  with  several  sub- 
tonics ;  yet  there  is  a  limit  to  the  number,  uterable  by  an  easy  efort 
in  corect  speech.  For  each  constituent  requiring  a  certain  dura- 
tion, to  render  it  conizable  as  a  variation  of  pitchj  and  to  insure 
distinct  pronunciation,  each  should  consume  a  portion  of  the  time 
of  the  concrete;  and  it  is  found j  each  constituent  does  consume  so 
much,  that  not  more  than  four  subtonics  together  with  the  preced- 
ing tonic,  can  in  easy  uterance  be  compressed  into  the  time  and 
space  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  or  of  the  wave. 

In  pronouncing  a  combination  of  tonics  and  subtonics,  greater 
than  can  be  included  in  a  single  concrete,  or  a  wavej  either  two 
sylables  must  be  formed  by  two  separate  concretes,  or  some  one  of 
the  tonic  or  subtonic  constituents  must  be  protracted  on  one  line 
of  pitch.  And  tho  this  last  would  not  necesarily  produce  two  syl- 
ables, yet  by  asuming  the  characteristic  note  of  song,  it  would  be 
very  diferent  from  the  efect  of  the  truly  equaljle  sylabic-concrete 
of  speech,  and  therefore  not  to  be  regarded  in  the  question  before 
us.  Admitting,  a  sylable  might  be  prolonged,  to  the  extent  of 
expiration,  on  what  we  called  in  tlie  second  section,  a  continued 
wave ;  still  the  prolongation  being  here  made  on  a  single  tonic  or 
subtonic  of  the  sylabic  compound,  the  case  would  not  be  regarde<i 
by  the  rule  of  sylabic  combination ;  or  would  only  be,  as  we  re- 
marked above  of  a  solitary  tonic,  an  exception  to  it. 

I  have  shown  why,  in  ordinary  speech,  sylables  cannot  be  in- 
definitely extended,  when  they  consist  only  of  tonic  and  subtonic 


ON   SYI.ABICATIOX.  123 

sounds,  and  consequently  Mhcn  tlicrc  is  no  obstruction  to  their 
continuation,  by  the  interposition  of  abrupt  and  atonic  elements. 

A  further  consideration  of  the  radiciil  and  vanishing  movement, 
will  inform  us  why  there  is,  ordinarily,  but  one  efort  of  acentual 
stres  on  each  sylable.  We  learned  in  the  last  section  that  the  form 
of  force  called  Acent,  is  variously  laid  on  the  concrete.  First,  by 
the  abru])t  explosion  of  the  radical.  Second,  by  magnifying,  so 
to  speak,  the  whole  of  the  concrete,  the  proportional  forces  of  the 
radical  and  vanish  remaining  unaltered.  Third,' by  giving  more 
fulnes  to  the  midle  of  the  concrete.  Fourth,  by  an  abrupt  stres  on 
the  radical,  together  with  an  increased  force  on  the  vanish  of  the 
same  concrete.  Fifth,  by  greater  stres  on  the  vanishing  portion. 
Sixth,  by  making  the  whole  concrete  of  the  same  fulnes  as  the 
radical.  Five  of  these  forms  do  not  alter  the  sino-lenes  of  the 
acentual  irapresion.  Something  like  an  exception  to  the  rule  of  a 
single  acent  seems  to  exist  in  the  fourth,  as  ^yill  be  particularly 
noticed  under  the  future  head  of  Expresion.  This  condition  if  an 
exception,  being  of  rare  ocurence,  is  by  no  means  contemplated 
here,  in  looking  at  the  ordinary  phenomena  of  sylabic  speech. 

From  what  has  been  said,  the  Reader  may  percevc  the  diference 
among  sylables,  in  their  tunable  quality,  and  in  the  gliding  con- 
tinuity of  voice.  The  most  agreeable  in  both  respects,  are  those 
formed  by  a  single  tonic ;  and  altho  the  concrete  rise  of  a  dipthong 
consists  of  two  dissimilar  sounds,  it  is  not  inferior  in  the  above 
named  characteristics,  to  the  uniform  voice  of  a  monothong. 

The  next  degree  of  eutony  or  agreeable  voice  in  a  sylable  is 
that  formed  by  an  initial  tonic,  folowed  by  one  or  two  subtonics, 
asj  aim,  ale,  arm,  earn,  elm,  orle.  These  have  with  an  agreable 
vocality,  an  easy  mingling  of  their  constituents;  their  tonic  cora- 
encement,  and  subtonic  vanish  alowing  an  equable  concrete  move- 
ment, from  the  opening  to  the  close  of  the  sylable. 

The  gliding  continuity  is,  to  a  certain  degree,  impaired  in  that 
order  of  elements,  where  the  first  sound  is  a  subtonic,  as  in  maims, 
gale,  warm,  zearn,  realm.  As  the  radical  in  these  cases  docs  not 
properly  begin  on  the  first  element,  there  may  be  in  careles  pro- 
nunciation, a  slight  Note  or  level  line  of  pitch,  in  the  uterance  of 
the  subtonic  jircceding  the  tonic. 

The  next  of  the  sylabic  combinations  contain  each  of  the  thre 


124  ON   SYLABICATION. 

kinds  of  elements,  asj  swarms,  strength,  thrown,  smiles.  Here  the 
atonic  sounds  are  not  agreable.  They  obscure  the  character  of 
the  concrete  movement ;  and  destroying  its  singlenes  of  impulse, 
are  attended  with  some  hiatus,  from  the  changes  of  position  in 
the  organs  that  produce  them. 

A  few  sylables  such  as  the  last  of  lit-tle  are  made  of  subtonics 
and  atonies,  without  the  adition  of  a  tonic.  They  are  altogether 
without  force  and  fulnes  in  the  radical  opening ;  and  have  a  slight 
nasal  vocality,  which  is  most  remarkable  in  this  case,  from  its  not 
being  modified  by  sylabic  union  with  the  clear  laryngeal  sound  of 
the  tonics. 

The  sylabic  impulse  has  various  degrees  of  smoothnes  and 
eutony,  from  the  perfect  coalescence  of  the  two  constituents  of  a 
dipthongal  tonic,  when  utered  alone  as  a  sylablej  to  the  transition 
thru  a  concrete  compounded  of  all  the  elements.  There  is  a 
peculiarity  in  the  structure,  and  a  hiatus  in  the  pronunciation  of 
certain  words,  from  their  aparently  embracing  two  concretes  in 
the  same  sylable.  The  words  flower,  higher,  boy,  voice,  and  coin, 
by  a  slight  variation  in  efort,  may  each  be  utered  either  as  one  or 
as  two  sylables.  Under  the  first  condition,  they  seem  severaly  to 
consist  of  the  union  of  two  tonics  in  one  sylable,  which  is  im- 
posible.  When  flower  is  pronounced  with  a  single  impulse,  it 
must  be  upon  the  elements,  /,  I,  ou,  and  r,  and  this  acords  with 
our  history  of  sylabication.  When  the  tonic  e-rr  is  sounded  before 
r,  the  double  impulse  cannot  be  avoided,  as  in  flow-er. 

We  have  considered  the  sylable  as  esentialy  a  function  of  the 
radical  and  vanish ;  this  function  being  equaly  productive  of  the 
sylabic  impulse,  in  a  downward  as  in  an  upward  direction.  And 
it  will  be  further  shown  in  a  future  section,  when  the  Reader  is 
prepared  for  the  explanation,  that  the  unity  of  a  sylable  is  not 
destroyed  by  a  movement  of  the  voice  in  continuity  from  the 
upward  into  the  downward  concrete,  in  what  we  call  the  Wave. 

By  the  light  of  the  preceding  analysis,  we  may  perceve  causes 
that  might  otherwise  be  hiden.  We  account  for  the  disagreable 
efect,  produced  both  in  uterance,  and  on  the  car,  by  the  use  of  the 
indefinite  article  a,  before  a  vowel  (or  tonic,)  and  by  other  similar 
succesions ;  as  in  aorta. 

When  we  uter  the  tonics  in  series,  we  may  smoothly  pass  from 


ON    SYLABICATION.  125 

one  to  the  other  without  a  break,  and  without  a  point  of  junction 
being  apreciable.  In  this  ca<?e,  the  elements  are  joined  to  each 
other  by  the  mediation  of  the  subtonic  y-e ;  as  in  enumerating  the 
vowels;  a,  ye,  yi,  yo,  yu.  For  the  subtonic  having  a  sliglit  oclu- 
sion  with  its  consequent  vocule,  means  are  afforded  by  this  occlu- 
sion, and  by  the  outset  of  the  vocule,  to  give  a  full  opening  to 
the  tonic :  and  thus,  a  true  radical  may  be  made  on  a  tonic  con- 
tinuous with  a  preceding  subtonic.  When  we  atempt  to  join  the 
article  a,  to  a  tonic  at  the  beginning  of  a  folowing  word,  an  un- 
])leasant  perception  arises  from  a  want  of  that  oclusion  and  vocule 
in  the  tonic  article  a,  which  in  the  subtonic  n  would  give  an  open- 
ing radical  fulness  to  the  initial  tonic  of  the  word.  Should  the 
article  be  pronounce<l  short  and  sej^arately,  with  a  pause  after  it, 
that  the  initial  tonic  may  have  a  full  radical  opening  of  its  own 
after  the  pause,  the  unpleasant  efect  will  in  a  degree,  be  avoided, 
tho  the  utcrance  will  be  necesarily  delayed.  In  this  way,  a, — owl 
and  a, — age  are  nearly  as  unexceptionable,  as  an  owl  and  an  age. 
The  union  of  n  with  a  tonic,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  all  the 
subtonics,  is  an  agreable  coalescence,  from  the  slight  oclusion  in 
these  elements ;  but  an  atempt  to  join  the  vanish  of  one  tonic  with 
the  radical  of  another,  produces  a  disagreable  efort  in  the  organs, 
and  an  unplea.sant  impresion  on  the  ear.  This  hiatus,  or  dificulty 
in  articulation,  is  caused  by  a  want  of  the  fulnes  of  the  suceding 
radical ;  by  an  endeavor  to  suply  this  deficiency,  and  yet  at  the 
same  time  to  pass  quickly  from  tonic  to  tonic ;  and  by  the  dis- 
apointment  of  the  ear,  in  not  receving  the  full  impresion  of  the 
radical,  as  it  is  heard  in  the  same  word  on  other  ocasions.  We 
cannot  then,  in  a  proximate  succesion  of  tonics,  produce  that 
desirable  radical  abruptnes,  which  is  easily  acomplished  when  the 
tonics  are  pronounced  with  a  pausal  rest  between  them,  or  after 
the  slight  oclasive  pause  produced  by  the  vocule  of  the  subtonics. 

The  hiatus  acompanying  the  junction  of  one  tonic  with  another, 
will  be  less  remarkable  when  the  last  receves  no  acentual  force.  It 
is  less  in  a  acount,  than  in  a  acident :  for  in  the  first  example,  a 
full  degree  of  radical  abruptnes  in  the  tonic  a  is  not  require<i. 

From  the  hiatus  in  the  above  individual  instance  of  the  meting 
of  two  vowels,  we  are  led  to  observe  the  general  means  for  coales- 
cence, and  tlie  general  causes  of  hesitation  betwen  the  elements, 


126  ox  SYLABICATION. 

under  all  other  positions  and  conections  in  cureut  speech.  One 
form  of  coalescence  is  produced  by  the  vanish  of  a  tonic  gliding  into 
a  subtonic ;  another  by  the  abrupt  breaking  of  the  vocule  of  a  sub- 
tonic  into  the  radical  of  a  tonic.  While  a  conunon  cause  of  hesi- 
tation, is  the  meeting  of  the  vanish  of  one  tonic  with  the  radical 
of  another.  Other  causes  of  both  coalescence  and  of  hesitation, 
depending  on  the  character  and  position  of  the  elements,  which  by 
the  light  here  thrown  upon  the  subject,  the  Header  can  easily  ob- 
serve for  himself.  The  principles  of  sylabication  here  founded  on 
the  radical  and  vanish,  and  on  the  abrupt  vocule  of  the  subtonics, 
embrace  the  above  instance  of  the  indefinite  article  and  the  initial 
vowel  of  a  following  wordj  which  has  long  been  familiar  as  a 
single,  but  not  as  a  general  fact  or  law  of  speeclr.  This  law,  under 
its  specifications  here  exemplified,  may  perhaps  be  aplied  by  others, 
to  the  investigation  of  the  causes  of  stamering,  and  other  defects 
in  articulation. 

From  the  foregoing  view  of  the  essential  importance  of  Abrupt- 
ness, in  sylabic  articulation,  the  Reader  may  learn,  why  I  was 
necesarily  directed  to  make  it  an  independent  Mode  of  the  voice. 

Under  the  sylabic  agency  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  the  pased 
time  and  perfect  participle  of  some  verbs  ending  in  ed,  when  con- 
tracted into  one  sylable,  by  rejecting  the  tonic  cj  change  d  into  t, 
as:  snafch-ed,  snatch't;  passed,  passH;  stopjp't;  checkH.  For  if  the 
e  be  droped,  the  d  having  a  vocality,  and  posesing  as  a  subtonic, 
the  power  of  a  concrete  movement,  it  must,  wJicn  preceded  by  an 
abrupt  or  atonic  element,  as  sh,  s,  p,  and  k,  in  the  above  instances, 
have  a  radical  and  vanisli,  and  consequently  nuist  make  another 
tho  a  subtonic  sylable  in  place  of  cd.  But  if  the  abruj)t  atonic  t  is 
substituted  for  d,  that  element  having  no  concrete  may  by  uniting 
with  its  antecedents,  be  retiiined  without  destroying  the  singlenes 
of  the  sylabic  impulse.  It  is  however  to  be  remarked,  tliat  the 
vocule  of  t  lias  a  'formative  efort'  towards  a  sylable,  but  not  sufi- 
cient  to  produce  the  cfect  of  one  on  the  ear. 

Those  iregular  verbs  which,  by  contraction,  have  their  present 
and  past  times  and  })erfect  participle  alike,  generaly  end  in  /,  as: 
beat,  kept,  hurt,  let,  left.  The  economy  of  ntorance,  or  ocjusions  for 
poetical  measure;  prodncing  a  contraction  of  the  regular  analogical 
form  of  beat  beated  bcatcd,  Avhich  we  may  supose  to  have  been  the, 


ON  8YLABICATION.  127 

original  structure  of  the  verb;  the  influence  of  the  radiciil  and 
vanisli  in  sylabication,  does  not  alow  the  contraction  to  \ye  made  by 
the  elision  of  e.  For  upon  this  elision,  heated  can  be  changed  to 
one  sylable,  as  we  have  seen  above,  only  by  substituting  the  atonic 
t  for  the  subtonic  d,  as  in  bead ;  and  this,  not  being  uterable,  the 
single  word  without  the  last  t  would  be  used  as  the  inflection  of 
the  verb,  and  as  the  participle. 

It  is  perhaps,  owing  to  the  unpleasant  efect  in  subjoining  s  to  ch, 
as  the  sign  of  the  posessive  case,  that  we  have  no  monosylabic 
posessive,  in  the  pronoun  which  ;  and  without  the  hiatus,  this  real 
want  would  probably  have  been  long  ago  conveniently  suplied. 
With  this  dificult}'  in  articulation,  we  often  use  an  emphatic  cir- 
cumlocution, to  denote  the  property  of  a  subject.  In  the  follow- 
ing sentence^  Find  me  a  ring,  the  diameter  of  which  is  ten  inchesj 
the  word  which  having  a  literal  composition  that  makes  it  audibly 
impresive,  and  when  required,  an  emphatic  relativej  has  here,  along 
with  the  preposition,  too  much  of  that  audible  importance,  for  its 
merely  expletive  meaning  in  the  sentence ;  and  in  a  maner,  over- 
bears the  principal  thought  of  the  ring  and  its  diameter.  Yet  to 
make  it  a  posessive  by  elision,  as  in  which's,  would  be  even  more 
striking.  Nor  M'ould  it  be  less  so,  until  authorized  by  custom,  to 
employ  its  suposed  original,  which  its,  as  with  whose  (who's)  from 
who  his,  or  who  hers  ;  according  to  the  old  form  of  the  possessive 
case  of  nouns. 

It  is  from  the  peculiarity  of  this  case,  that  writers  with  a  deli- 
cate perception  of  phraseology  find  those  proper  ocasions,  where 
the  less-accented  that,  as  a  relative,  may  be  fluently  substituted 
for  this  ear-stamping  pronoun.  Under  the  like  dificulty  the  best 
Authors,  to  avoid  awkward  or  afected  aliteration,  have  sometimes 
employed  whose,  in  reference  to  things,  as  a  possessive  case  of 
which.  Fortunately  however,  by  a  substitutive  and  variable  con- 
struction, the  copious  resources,  and  available  versatility  of  our 
language,  are  suficient  to  meet  all  its  incidental  wants.* 

*  The  above  notice  of  the  improsive  efect  of  the  pronoun  which,  might 
be  extended  to  that  doubtful  part  of  speech,  because,  and  to  the  adverb  so. 
These  words  are  in  a  degree  emphatic  by  their  literal  sound  alone;  and  are 
to  be  employed  in  the  first  instance,  for  directing  atention  to  some  important 
motive  or  agency;  and  in  the  second,  for  particular  stres,  when  this  word 
has  an  inferential  importance.     Does  the  influence  depend  on  the  full  vocality, 


128  THE   MECHANISM 

The  foregoing  principles  may  be  hereafter  applied  to  explain 
some  aparent  anomalies  in  speech,  that  have  hitherto  pased  with- 
out scrutiny,  or  without  satisfactory  interpretation.  I  have  gone 
beyond  my  original  intention,  in  planing  the  subject  of  this  sec- 
tion ;  and  must  therefore  leave  other  particulars,  to  the  observation, 
reflection,  and  time  of  the  inquiring  and  inteligent  Reader.  Per- 
haps I  do  not  excede  the  bounds  of  fair  anticipation,  in  foreseing 
his  rising  interest  in  this  history  of  the  voice.  But  all  these  things, 
and  more  too  that  shall  be  told,  may  in  looking  back  from  future 
time,  apear,  in  the  distance,  to  have  been  the  preface  only  to  a  full 
knowledge  of  this  subjectj  if  he  will  adopt  the  Method  of  Inquiry 
which  has  thus  far  asisted  me,  or  which  is  in  truth  the  more  than 
co-efficient  Author  of  this  Work  ;  if  he  will  becor^  the  spy  upon 
Nature  in  his  own  watchfulnes,  and  not  rely  on  a  careles,  and  often 
itself  a  borowed  authority ;  if  he  will  turn  from  those  discouraging 
prospects,  presented  by  the  result  of  every  metaphysical  or  transcen- 
dental atempt  to  make  knowledge  out  of  notions ;  and  by  entering 
into  sober  comunion  with  his  own  senses,  lay  himself  oi)en  to  the 
advising  of  those  five  ministers  of  Observation,  apointed  by  Nature 
for  his  counseling  in  all  inquiry  after  truth. 


SECTION  V. 

Oj  the  Causative  Mechanism  of  the  Voice,  in  relation  to  iOi  diferent 
Vocalities,  and  to  its  Pitch. 

A  DESCRIPTION  of  the  diferent  modes  and  forms  of  sound  in 
the  human  voice,  without  exemplification  by  actual  uterance,  is 
always  insuficient  and  often  uninteligiblc.  With  a  view  to  facili- 
tate instruction,  it  is  desirable  to  ascertain  the  conformation  of  tlie 
vocal  organs,  together  with  the  action  of  the  air  upon  them ;  that 

and  extcrulod  lime  of  their  rospectivo  tonics,  a-ll,  and  o-ld?  And  do  not 
other  English  words,  with  u  liku  iniprossivo  construction,  deserve  to  be  known, 
clased,  and  thoughtfuly  used  ? 


OP   THE   VOICE.  129 

a  reference  to  these  forms,  and  to  the  impulsas  of  the  air,  may 
enable  an  observer  to  exemplify  the  description  of  vcK-al  sounds, 
by  using  the  known  physical  means  that  produce  them.  The 
system  of  parts  which  efects  this  peculiar  purpose,  is  caled  the 
Mechanism  of  the  voice. 

The  result  of  physiological  inquiry  on  this  subject  is  not  satis- 
factory. Unfortunately,  most  physiologists  have  been  public 
Teachers,  apointed  to  stations  of  profit  and  influence,  and  required 
to  instruct  without  having  always  the  time,  or  ability,  or  dispo- 
sition to  investigate.  Their  condition  has  obliged  them  to  compile 
without  choice,  to  define  and  arange  without  reflection,  and  to 
afect  an  originality  perhaps  forbiden  by  the  character  of  their 
minds,  or  the  multiplicity  of  their  duties.  From  these  Profesorial 
instructors,  the  covered  movements  of  the  organs  of  speech  seem 
to  cut  off"  the  meaas  of  observation ;  and  feigning  themselves 
under  a  necessity  to  teach,  what  they  had  never  learned,  they  have 
tried  to  elude  the  dificulty,  by  devising  some  of  those  works  of 
fiction  long  ago  designed  by  the  Craft  of  Mastership,  for  satisfy- 
ing the  cravings  of  undiscerning  youth.  The  thdtles  wishes  of 
the  scholar  have  been  raspectfully  regarded  by  the  teacher ;  and 
sketches  of  knowledge  from  his  acomodating  pencil  have  fre- 
quently been  rather  a  worked-out  picture  of  the  pupil's  vain  con- 
ceits and  authorities,  than  of  the  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth 
of  nature. 

The  opinions  among  physiologists,  on  the  mechanism  of  the 
voice,  are  many  and  unconformed  ;  and  by  the  obligations  of  phi- 
losophy we  are  bound  to  acknowledge  much  ignorance  and  eror 
on  this  subject.  We  know  that  the  voice  is  made  by  the  pasage 
of  air  thru  the  larynx,  and  cavities  of  the  mouth  and  nose.  From 
experiments  on  the  human  larynx,  or  on  artificial  imitations  of  its 
structure  ;  and  from  observations  upon  the  vocal  mechanism,  by 
exposing  the  organs  in  living  animalsj  it  is  infered  with  great 
probability,  that  voice  procedes  immediately  from  the  ligaments 
of  the  glotis.  We  have  no  precise  knowledge  of  the  causes  of 
Pitch ;  its  formation  having  been  by  authors  diferently  atributed 
to  variations  in  the  aperture  of  the  glotis ;  to  the  diference  of 
length  in  its  chords ;  their  varied  degrees  of  tension ;  the  varying 
velocity  of  the  current  of  air  thru  the  aperture  of  the  glotis  ;  the 


130  THE   MECHANISM 

rise  and  fall  of  the  whole  laiynx,  and  the  consequent  variation 
of  length  in  the  vocal  avenues,  between  the  glottis  and  the  ex- 
ternal limit  of  the  mouth  and  of  the  nose;  and  finaly,  to  the 
influence  of  a  combination  of  two  or  more  of  these  causes.  Nor 
are  we  acquainted  with  the  mechanisms,  respectively  producing 
those  varieties  of  sound  called  Vocality,  Natural  voice,  Whisper, 
and  Falsete.  Each  of  these  varieties  has  receved  some  theoretic 
explanation ;  and  their  locality  has,  without  much  precision,  been 
severaly  asigned  to  the  chest,  the  throat,  and  the  head. 

These  discordant  and  fictional  acounts  have  been  in  some  meas- 
ure, the  consequence  of  conceiting  a  resemblance,  between  the 
organs  of  the  voice  and  comon  instruments  of  music ;  and  under 
fluctuations  of  opinion  which  have  represented  the  vocal  mechan- 
ism to  be  like  that  of  mouthed,  or  reeded,  or  stringed  instruments, 
the  wildnes  of  these  still  incomplete  analogies  has  run  into  out- 
rage of  all  similitude,  by  comparing  the  avenue  of  the  fauces, 
mouth,  and  nose,  to  the  body  of  a  flute ;  and  ascribing  false  into- 
nation, to  an  inequality  of  tension  between  what  are  called  the 
'  strings  of  the  glotti.'  We  are  too  much  disposed  to  measure  the 
resources  of  nature,  by  the  limited  inventions  of  art.  The  forms 
and  other  conditions  of  mater,  which  jointly  with  the  motion  of 
air  may  produce  sound,  must  be  inumerable ;  and  it  certainly  is 
not  an  enlarged  analogical  view  of  the  mechanism  of  the  human 
voice,  which  regards  the  functions  of  those  few  forms  only  that 
have  receved  the  name  of  '  musical  instruments.' 

The  ilustrations  these  analogies  were  suposcd  to  aford,  have 
been  no  more  than  Theoretic  resting  places  for  tlie  mind,  in  the 
perplexing  pursuit  of  truth.  The  physiologists  of  antiquity  ex- 
plained the  mysteries  of  the  voice,  by  comparing  the  trachea  to  a 
musical  pipe  ;  and  science  reposed  from  the  time  of  Galen,  to  that 
of  Dodart  and  Ferrein  in  the  eighteenth  century,  on  the  satisfac- 
tion produced  by  this  suposition.  The  means  of  ilustration  have 
folowed  the  fashion  of  instruments,  and  of  late  years,  the  choixls 
of  the  Eolian  harp  and  the  reed  of  the  hautboy  have  furnished 
their  mechanical  pictures  of  the  vocal  orgiuis.  One  cannot  say 
positivelyj  a  resembhuuic  of  the  mechanism  of  the  voi(^e,  to  that 
of  some  known  instnimcnt  of  nuisic,  may  not  be  ])rovod  hereafter; 
but  cautious  reflection  will  guard  us  against  surprise  on  a  future 


OF  THE  VOICE.  131 

discovery,  that  in  most  points,  the  formative  causes  in  the  two 
cases  are  totaly  disimilar.  Before  tlie  use  of  the  baloon  for  the 
suport  and  progres  of  man  upon  the  air,  no  one  ever  conceved  the 
posibility  of  his  flight,  by  any  other  mstrumentality  than  that  of 
wings. 

The  history  of  the  voice  records  its  exact  anatomy,  and  some 
important  physiological  experiment,  together  with  inferences  from 
the  mechanism  of  musi«il  instruments,  aplied  without  much  pre- 
cision, to  the  human  organs.  We  seem  to  have  been  so  entirely 
convinced  of  the  analogy  between  these  cases,  and  have  relied  so 
imjilicitly  on  systems  constructed  upon  it,  that  we  have  forgoten 
the  importance  of  unbiased  observation.  Presumption  in  suj)- 
osing  the  fulnes  of  knowledge  already  acomplished,  and  despair 
in  thinking  it  unatiiinable,  are  equally  adverse  to  the  efforts  of 
improvement.  The  panwgic  or  all-working  power  of  Baconian 
Science  directs  us  by  its  productive  rules,  to  record  all  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  voice;  and  requires  us  in  our  clasifications,  to 
know  resemblances  and  diferences,  not  to  invent  them.  There  is 
no  doing  wuthout  the  asistance  of  Analogies^  as  well  when  look- 
ing into  the  co-relation  of  the  arts,  as  in  observing  the  proceses 
of  nature.  With  peculiar  adaptation  to  a  varied  ofice,  they  are 
the  all-asistant  counselors  of  intelect,  in  the  discoveiy  of  that 
original  truth,  which  they  are  afterwards  to  teach  and  to  beautify 
by  ilustration:  they  should  not  however  be  confounded  with  the 
truth  itself,  which  they  serve  only  to  develope  and  adorn.  In  the 
present  inquiry,  it  might  be  proper  to  take  into  consideration  every 
analogy,  in  artificial  instruments  of  sound  ;  but  when  a  strict  use 
of  tlie  senses  cannot  prove  a  similarity  of  mechanism  between 
them  and  the  vocal  organs,  it  is  no  benefit  to  retain  as  parts  of 
a  science,  those  unfounded  means  that  cannot  ilustrate,  after  they 
have  been  unsucesfuly  used  to  discover  its  truth.* 

*  After  the  directive  principles  of  the  Novutti  Organum  had  acomplished 
much  of  the  promised  work  of  scientific  precision,  and  before  they  have  been 
duly  aplied  to  rectify  the  erors  of  every  Theoretic  Faithj  for  which  they  are 
all-suficient,  and  were  prospectively  intended;;  we  are  invited  to  new  eforts  of 
inquiry,  by  the  aditional  method  of  a  '  Positive  Philosophy,'  to  assist  the  pro- 
grcsive  purpose  of  its  all-suficient  prototype.  But  English  and  American 
philosophy  lias  too  often  been  deluded  into  belief  of  fiction  and  falsehood, 
under  the  promise  of  Positive  science,  for  this  Word  to  aford  in  our  coinon 


132  THE   MECHANISM 

When  I  speak  of  our  ignorance  of  the  mechanical  causes  of  the 
different  kinds  of  voice,  and  of  their  pitch,  let  me  be  clearly  com- 
prehended. To  hnow  a  thing,  as  this  phrase  is  applied  in  most  of 
the  subjects  of  human  inquiry,  is  to  have  that  opinion  of  its  char- 
acter and  caase,  which  authority,  analogical  argument,  and  partial 
observation,  prompted  by  various  motives  of  vanity  or  interest,  may 

language,  a  favorable  omen  of  exactnes  in  observation  and  thot.  Nor  has 
the  flag  that  bears  it  as  yet  waved  over  any  important  '  anexation'  of  truths 
beyond  the  acquisitions  of  that  Comanding  Philosophy,  which  has  gone-the- 
waj'  of  victory  before  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Baconian  system  of  obser- 
vation has  long  hung  its  baner  of  science,  acros  the  Newtonian  Sky ;  and  is 
daily  bringing  from  the  depths  of  the  earth,  the  historic  leaves  of  Creation's 
Stone-and- Fossil  Book;  has  raised  its  trophies  of  ingenius  art,  and  national 
wealth,  over  the  coal  fields  of  Newcastle,  the  founderies  of  Wales,  the 
thousand  productive  engines  of  Sheffield  and  Manchester,  the  wonders  of 
locomotive-agency,  on  every  sea,  and  civilized  landj  and  over  that  Electric 
tongue,  which  speaks  in  a  moment,  the  exchanging  purposes  of  comerce, 
between  them  all.  The  power  of  this  philosophy,  while  it  has  already  fur- 
nished those  great  physical  advantages,  still  holds  within  itself,  the  sure  but 
unused  power  of  clearing-up  the  obscurity  of  every  intelectual  and  moral 
mystification. 

To  those  great  results  of  the  boundles  purposes  of  the  Observative  System, 
I  presume  to  join  this  humble  contribution.  The  succes  of  that  system,  on 
our  present  subject  of  speech,  which  has  so  long  resisted  all  other  means  of 
inquiry  and  which  has  too  incautiously  been  considered,  beyond  discrimina- 
tion;; may  inded  be  only  a  triumph  within  the  narow  field  of  Vocal  Phj'siology, 
and  Taste  ;  yet  poorly  as  it  may  compare  with  those  extended  practical  achieve- 
ments, it  is  equaly  with  them,  a  triumph  in  principle  and  method^  of  the  wise 
and  comprehensive  design  of  Baconian  science;  which,  like  the  unlimited 
circuit  of  Mature,  encompases  both  the  greatest  and  the  least. 

Altho  Nature,  the  just  and  sole  Executrix  of  Providential  Will,  knows 
not,  in  the  agency  of  her  laws,  the  human  prompting  of  Enthusiasm,  yet 
we  may  be  pardoned  if  we  should  feel  it,  towards  that  Miglity  M<'thod, 
which  by  unfolding  her  works,  teaches  that  for  her  coaselos  energies  she 
never  requires  it. 

Does  truth  alure  thee?     Learn  befictionkd  man, 
At  Bacon's  word,  her  dawning  light  began  ; 
Learn  how  that  light's  Redi^ming  ray  has  shined, 
With  gleams  of  whole  Salvation  o'er  tlic  mind. 
And  should  that  Mind  to  truth's  full-liglit  bo  brought, 
'Twill  bo  their  ta!<k,  who  Think  as  Bacon  Thought. 

When  the  distinguished  Poet,  and  author  of  the  well  known  and  malicious 
epigram,  apliod  the  inconsistent  epithets,  ^greatest,  brightest,  and  meanest,'  to 
one  and  the  same  Exaltod  Intelcct,  he  comittod  as  great  a  solecism  in  his  ad- 


I 


OF   THE   VOICE.  133 

direct.  To  know,  by  physical  research,  we  must  employ  our  senses, 
and  contrive  experiments,  on  the  subject  of  inquiry ;  and  admit 
no  belief,  which  may  not  in  its  proper  way,  be  made  undeniable 
by  demonstration.  Physiologj'  has  too  long  been  led  by  a  fictional 
guide ;  and  no  branch  more  conspicuously  than  tliat  of  the  mech- 
anism of  the  human  voice.     One,  from  the  analogy  of  musical 

jectivesj  ns  he  did  in  his  verbs,  when  describing  the  mules  and  wagons  return- 
ing from  Mount  Ida,  with  wood  for  the  funeral  pile  of  Patroclus^  he  has  the 
folowing  unsucesful  atempt  to  make  a  prolonged  quantity,  the  verbal  sign  of 
a  cautious  animal  pace. 

First  move  the  heavy  mules  securely  slow, 

O'er  hills,  o'er  dales,  o'er  rocks,  o'er  crags  (headlong  of  course)  they  go. 

The  history  of  the  celebrated  line  of  discordant  adjectives^  the  joint  work 
of  Pope  and  Bolingbrokcj  is  short. 

The  great  Benefactor  while  preparing  posterity  for  a  full  survey  of  the  truth 
and  beauty  of  Nature,  hapened,  in  his  Essays,  to  make  the  general  remark;} 
that  deformed  persons,  regarding  themselves  as  exceptions  to  the  perfect  order 
of  her  Laws,  and  as  objects  of  pity  or  scorn  j  endeavor  to  meet  with  even-hand 
the  hardship  of  their  lot,  by  a  disatisfled  and  jealous  temper  towards  the  world  ; 
yet  kindly  allowing:;  their  condition  has  sometimes  been  the  incentive  to  great 
exertion  and  excclcnce.  It  is  the  malice  of  the  misshapen  Poet,  aparcntly 
excited  by  this  remark,  that  here  obliges  us  to  alude  unwilinglj'  to  his  mis- 
fortune; for  on  reading  this  popular  Work  of  the  Philosopher,  he  may  from 
the  fictional  habit  of  his  own  mind,  together  with  his  poetical  egotism,  have 
taken  the  remark  as  personal  to  himself,  tho  then  unborn  ;  and  thus  have 
joined  to  his  constitutional  and  pevish  iritability,  a  revengeful  disposition 
towards  the  Author. 

Lord  Bolingbroke  having  furnished  Pope  with  his  sententious  prose  reflec- 
tions, was  not  by  Kank  and  Title  or  by  Head  and  Heart,  so  simply  generous 
towards  the  '  Brightest  and  Greatest  of  mankindj'  sacrificed  by  the  'smooth 
barbarity'  of  King  and  Courtier,  for  his  venial  share  of  the  beseting  sins  of 
every  ambitious  public  station;;  as  afterwards  to  condemn  and  erase,  if  he  did 
not  direct  the  vindictive  couplet  of  his  versifying  amanuensis;  but  meanly, 
if  with  jealousy  of  a  superior  intelect,  left  it  for  any  ignorant  and  self- 
righteous  pharise,  to  quote,  and  to  thank  God,  on  the  comparison,  that  he  is 
not  like  other  men,  nor  even  as  the  High  Chancelor  Bacon. 

If  Pope's  gredines  of  praise,  that  vicious  apetite  of  prideles  and  limited 
minds,  had  led  him  to  turn  into  heroic  measure,  the  Essays  of  his  great  Su- 
perior, instead  of  Bolingbroke's  philosojjhic  generalities,  which  it  is  said  he 
did  not  widely  comprehendj  he  would  have  had  clear,  broad,  and  practical 
thots,  with  all  the  pith  of  poetical  maxims,  to  work  upon;  and  might  have 
induced  posterity  to  overlook  some  of  his  own  contentious  vanity,  and  anoy- 
ing  caprices,  by  an  odd  comparison  of  his  pigmy  share  of  rhyme  and  reflec- 
tion, with  the  greatncs  of  an  Immortal  fame. 


134  THE   MECHAXISM 

strings,  supposes  Pitch  to  be  produced  by  the  varied  tension  of 
the  chords  of  the  glottisj  without  showing  a  correspondence  of  the 
degrees  of  tension  with  the  degrees  of  pitch.  Another,  that  the 
vibration  of  these  chords  performs  the  same  functions  as  the  reed 
of  the  hautboyj  without  showing  the  manner  in  which  this  lar}Ti- 
geal  reed  fixes  the  degrees  of  intonation.  A  tliird  ascribes  the 
pitch  of  the  falsette  to  the  agency  of  the  base  of  the  tongue,  the 
fauces,  the  soft  palate,  and  uvulaj  without  showing  any  fixed 
points  of  relationship,  between  the  parts  of  this  cavernous  struc- 
ture and  the  current  of  expiration,  in  the  production  of  concrete 
or  discrete  pitch. 

When  therefore  we  seek  to  know  the  mechanism  of  the  voice,  it 
should  be,  to  see,  or  to  be  truly  told  by  those  who  have  seen,  the 
whole  proces  of  the  action  of  the  air  on  the  vocal  organs,  in  the 
production  of  the  vocality,  force,  pitch,  and  articulation  of  speech. 
This  method  and  this  alone,  produces  permanent  knowledge ;  and 
elevates  our  belief  above  the  condition  of  vulgar  opinion,  and 
sectarian  dispute.  The  visibility  of  most  of  the  parts  concerned 
in  Articulation,  has  long  since  produced  among  physiologists,  some 
agrement  as  to  the  agency  of  those  parts.  Yet  after  all  I  have 
been  able  to  obsers^e  and  learn,  on  the  subject  of  Vocality  and 
Pitch,  I  must  in  speaking  the  language  of  an  exact  and  produc- 
tive philosophy,  fairly  confes  an  entire  ignorance  of  their  me- 
chanical causations :  and  the  great  diference  on  this  point  among 
authors,  should  go  far  towards  destroying  respect  for  most  of  their 
opinions.* 

This  section  being  adresscd  principaly  to  physiologists,  I  omit 
a  description  of  the  organs  of  the  voice,  to  be  found  in  all  the 
manuals  of  anatomy;  and  it  would  be  useles  to  transcribe  an 
acount  of  structures  and  actions,  when  we  know  not  with  specific 
reference,  what  vocal  efect  those  actions  produce.  The  general 
statement  of  our  problem  is,  that  some  part  or  parts  of  the  breath- 
ing passages  produce  all  the  modes,  forms,  varieties,  and  degres  of 
the  human  voice.     Anatomy  is  to  describe  the  structure  of  these 

*  If  the  Reader  cannot  now  agree  with  me,  on  the  importance  of  the  purely 
observative  use  of  the  mind,  here  recomendcd  for  every  thing,  let  him  wait 
till  he  has  finished  this  volume,  before  he  pronouncesj  it  has  been  therein 
unproductive. 


OF  THE  VOICE.  135 

partsj  Physiology  to  explain  its  actions,  that  each  may  be  made  a 
subje<'t  of  j)crmancnt  science.  But  observation  of  the  living  ac- 
tions of  this  structure  has  almost  universaly  thrown  the  first  light 
upon  its  physiological  causes  and  effects.  It  has  been  the  i)art  of 
anatomy  to  confirm  or  complete  our  knowledge  of  them  ;  agreubly 
to  the  saying  of  the  Greek  philosophy,  that  what  is  fii-st  to  nature 
in  the  act  of  creation,  is  the  last  to  man  in  the  labor  of  inquiry. 
On  the  subject  of  the  mechanism  of  the  voice,  we  are  yet  ocupied 
witli  the  perplexities  of  analysis ;  when  that  Avork  shall  be  finished, 
we  may  begin  again  with  muscles,  cartilages,  ligaments,  mucous 
tisues,  and  the  os  hyoides,  and  describe  their  actions  with  the 
synthetic  steps  of  sucesive  causation. 

In  the  meantime,  Ave  should  not  so  far  folow  the  example  of 
System-makers  and  Professors,  as  to  furnish  an  acount  of  the 
mechanism  of  the  voice,  soley  because  it  is  desirable  and  may  be 
looked  for.  Aiming  to  serve  truth  with  our  senses,  we  should 
describe  what  is  distinguishable  by  the  ear  in  the  diferent  kinds 
of  voice,  together  with  the  visible  structure  and  movement  of  the 
organs ;  in  the  hope,  that  by  an  acknowledgment  of  our  present 
ignorance,  and  by  future  observation  and  experiment,  other  in- 
quirers may  arive  at  the  certainty,  which  by  a  different  method  of 
investigation  has  never  yet  been  atained. 

The  thirty-five  elements  of  speech  may  be  heard  under  four 
diferent  kinds  of  voice ;  the  Natural,  the  Falsete,  the  Whispering, 
and  that  improved  vocality  to  be  presently  described  under  the 
name  of  the  Orotund. 

The  Natural,  or  what  we  call  Vocality,  is  employed  in  ordinary 
speaking.  Its  compas  includes  a  range  of  pitch  from  the  lowest 
uterable  sound,  up  to  that  point  at  which  the  voice  is  said  to 
break.  At  this  place  the  natural  ceases,  and  the  higher  parts  of 
the  scale  are  made  by  a  shriler  kind  called  the'  Falsete.  The 
natural  voice  is  capable  of  the  discrete,  the  concrete,  and  the 
tremulous  progresion.  By  the  concrete  and  tremulous  move- 
ment, the  natural  may  be  continued  into  the  falsete  without  a 
perceptible  point  of  union :  for  the  concrete  rise  in  vehement  in- 
terogation,  sometimes  pases  above  the  limit  of  the  natural  scide, 
and  thereby  avoids  that  unpleasant  break  in  the  transition  to  the 
falsete,  which  in  the  discrete  scale  is  remarkable  both  as  to  sound, 


136  THE   MECHANISM 

and  to  clificulty  in  executive  efort,  except  witli  persons  of  great 
vocal  skill.  The  peculiar  defect  of  vocality  and  of  intonation  at 
this  point  of  the  discrete  scale  of  song,  has  receved  the  name  of 
*  false  note.' 

The  natural  voice  is  said  to  be  produced  by  the  vibration 
of  the  chords  of  the  glottis.  This  has  been  infered,  from  a 
suposed  analogy  between  the  action  of  the  human  organ,  and 
that  of  the  dog,  in  which  the  vibration  has  been  observed,  on 
exposing  the  glotis  during  the  cries  of  the  animalj  and  from 
the  vibration  of  the  chords,  by  blowing  thru  the  human  larynx, 
when  removed  from  the  body.  The  conclusion  is  therefore  prob- 
able, but  until  it  is  seen  in  the  living  function  of  the  part,  or 
until  there  is  suficient  aproximation  to  this  proof  by  other 
means,  it  cannot  be  admited  as  a  portion  of  exact  physiological 
science. 

With  regard  to  the  mechanical  cause  of  the  Variations  of  Pitch 
in  the  natural  voice,  diferent  notions,  and  they  are  only  notions, 
have  been  proposed  by  their  respective  advocates.  They  were 
transiently  enumerated  above.*     * 

*  Shortly  after  the  first  publication  of  this  Work,  in  January,  eighten 
hundred  and  twenty-sevenj  Mr.  Robert  Willis,  of  Caius  College,  Cam- 
bridge, folowing  up  the  experiments  of  Kratzenstein  and  Kempelen,  ob- 
tained by  means  of  tubular  and  other  ingenius  contrivances,  many  inter- 
esting results,  aproaching  to  the  satisfactory  conclusion,  that  vocal  sotind  is 
produced,  on  the  principle  of  the  Reed,  by  the  vibration  of  the  ligamentous 
chords  of  the  glottis.  The  artificial  contrivances  further  showed  by  analogy, 
that  Pitch  may  be  in  ^^a?-^  produced  by  certain  variations  of  these  chords, 
as  they  form  the  aperture  of  the  glottis  ;  still  leaving  it  undetermined,  by 
what  other  influence  this  pitch  may  be  partly  made  or  modified,  in  the 
proper  vocal  organ.  By  another  contrivance,  he  was  enabled  to  produce 
several  of  the  vowel  sounds. 

The  purpose  of  this  Volume  docs  not  require  a  special  notice  of  the  inter- 
esting details  of  Mr.  Willis'  inquiry.  They  do  not  howevor,  in  point  of  pre- 
cise and  permanent  knowledge,  e.\tend  the  subject  much  beyond  what  we 
have  stated  in  the  text,  to  be  the  opinions  of  other  writers;  and  it  is  there 
said  in  caution^  we  must  not  supose,  the  mechanism  of  the  voice  nocesarily 
resembles  that  of  certain  instruments  of  music :  for  to  be  known  perfectly, 
it  must  be  known  in  itself. 

It  is  but  a  partial  view,  to  show  that  vowel  sounds  may  bo  made  by  certain 
kinds  of  tubes,  in  conection  with  a  reed,  and  a  bowl  with  a  sliding  cover. 
Cons(}nants  as  well  as  vowels  are  only  diferent  kinds  of  sound,  that  may  bo 
cla-sed,  acording  to  their  causes,  as  Human,  Sub-Animal,  and  Mechanical. 


OP  THE  VOICE.  137 

On  this  subject,  about  which  we  know  so  little,  but  on  wliich 
theorists  are  ready  to  fix  on  anything^  it  is  well  to  begin  the  in- 
vestigation of  some  curent  opinions,  with  the  process  of  exclusion  ; 
by  showing  what  does  not  produce  pitch,  in  the  visible  parts  of  the 
vocal  aparatus. 

The  Pitch  of  the  natural  voice  does  not  apear  to  be  directly 
produced  by  the  mouth  and  fauces,  for  it  will  be  seen  on  examina- 
tion, that  the  rise  and  fall  on  the  scale,  may  be  severaly  efected 
by  all  the  tonic  elements ;  and  that  during  the  exclusive  intona- 
tion of  each,  the  positions  of  the  tongue  and  fauces  remain  un- 
alteredj  if  we  except  some  slight  unsteadines  of  the  tongue  and 
soft  palate,  which  can  have  no  relation  to  the  definite  divisions  of 
pitch. 

The  sound  of  a-we  is  made,  while  the  tongue  is  about  on  a  level 
with  the  lower  teeth ;  the  mouth  being  open,  for  observation,  and 
all  the  parts  of  this  vocal  cavity  having  the  same  position,  as  in  an 
act  of  silent  respiration.  In  performing  the  run  of  pitch  on  this 
element,  we  must  however,  have  regard  to  a  change  of  the  mech- 
anism of  its  radical,  to  that  of  e-rr,  in  the  articulation  of  its  vanish, 
which  however,  has  no  effect  in  this  case,  as  it  exists  equally  in  the 
downward  pitch.  The  sound  of  e-ve  is  made  by  aproximating 
the  tongue  to  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  leaving  between  them  a 
narow  passage  for  the  air.  In  one  of  these  instances,  the  avenue 
of  the  mouth  and  fauces  is  free ;  in  the  other,  the  tongue  almost 

The  human  are  few,  the  sub-animal,  and  mechanical,  inumerable.  Our -per- 
ception of  the  human  vowels  with  their  alphabetic  characters,  and  with  thots 
and  pasions,  when  united  with  consonants  into  words,  seems  to  represent 
them  as  altogether  diferent  from  sub-animal  and  mechanical  sounds.  There- 
is  no  vowel  in  the  voice  of  man,  that  is  not  to  be  heard  from  some  spccchles 
brute,  or  bird,  or  insect,  or  in  the  inumerable  sounds,  made  by  the  reciprocal 
action  between  air,  and  the  varied  forms  and  conditions  of  solids  and  fluids. 
The  fauces  and  larynx  ofer  only  the  case  of  a  peculiar  and  moistened  struc- 
ture, forming  those  sounds,  which  in  the  egotism  of  our  education,  hardly 
our  constitution,  we  have  so  far  identified  with  humanity,  as  to  prevent  our 
imediate  notice  of  similar  sub-animal  and  mechanical  .sounds. 

The  comon  words  of  the  world  veil  the  true  relation.ship  of  thin<j;s,  till, 
philosophy  draws-aside  the  curtain  ;  and  nine-tenths  of  mankind,  who  may 
think  themselves  very  observant,  never  porceve  in  the  jet  of  a  fountain,  the- 
click  of  a  time-piece,  the  grating  of  a  saw,  and  the  rapid  friction  of  a  cable,- 
8ome  of  those  prerogative  elements,  which  set  them  as  tliey  supose,  so  fur 
above  the  brute. 
10 


138  THE   MECHANISM 

closes  the  back  of  the  mouth,  and  must  be  nearly  in  contact  with 
the  veil  of  the  palate,  and  the  arch  of  the  fauces.  Yet  in  each 
case  the  respective  positions  remain  unaltered,  under  all  the  varia- 
tions of  pitch ;  and  in  both,  the  pitch  Ls  made  with  equal  facility 
and  exactnes. 

Among  the  subtonics,  the  pitch  of  ng  is  made  when  the  current 
of  air  thru  the  mouth  is  completely  obstructed,  by  contact  of  the 
base  of  the  tongue  with  the  soft  palate.  Again,  th-an  may  be 
intonated  on  all  the  degrees  of  the  scale,  altho  it  is  produced  by 
the  stream  of  expiration  over  the  tip  of  the  tongue,  in  contact  with 
the  uper  fore-teeth. 

It  is  unecesary  to  refer  to  the  visible  positions  of  the  mouth  and 
fauces  in  the  production  of  other  elements.  The  identity  of  pitch, 
under  all  their  various  mechanisms,  must  lead  to  the  conclusion, 
that  the  Pitch  of  the  natural  voice  is  not  produced  by  the  action 
of  these  parts. 

As  the  pitch  of  the  element  ng,  is  made  by  the  stream  of  air 
passing  directly  from  the  glottis  to  the  nose,  without  entering  into 
the  fauces  and  the  cavity  of  the  mouth,  we  may  inquirej  whether 
the  varieties  of  pitch,  if  produced  above  the  glotis,  are  made  in 
the  avenue  of  the  nose.  But  pitch  may  be  made  when  the  air  does 
not  pass  by  the  nose.  Pitch  too  is  a  variable  function  ;  the  parts 
within  the  nose  are  incapable  of  motion. 

The  Falsete  is  a  peculiar  voice,  in  the  higher  degrees  of  pitch, 
begining  where  the  natural  voice  breaks,  or  outruns  its  compas. 
The  piercing  cry,  the  scream,  and  the  yell  are  various  forms  of  the 
falsete.  It  must  not  however  be  suposedj  the  compass  of  the 
falsete  lies  restrictively,  between  its  highest  practicable  note,  and 
the  point  where  the  natural  voice  ends ;  for  the  same  kind  of  falsete- 
sound  may  by  efort,  be  formed  even  below  the  usual  point  of 
separation  of  the  two  voices,  or  the  place  of  what  is  called  the 
^  false  note.' 

All  the  elements  except  the  atonies,  which  are  only  aspirations, 
may  be  made  in  falsete.  It  luis  been  already  remarked,  that  the 
unpleasant  efect  both  of  sound  and  of  efort,  in  the  change  from 
natural  to  falsete  intonation,  is  obviated  when  the  transition  is 
made  by  the  concrete;,  and  by  the  tremulous  scales. 

The  striking  diference  l)etween  the  natural  and  tlie  falsete  voices. 


OF   THE   VOICE.  139 

has  given  rise  to  the  belief  of  a  difei'enoe  in  tlie  respective  mech- 
anisms, not  only  of  their  kind  of  sound,  but  likewise  of  their 
pitch. 

It  has  been  suposed,  the  falsete  Is  produced  at  the  *  uper  orifice 
of  tlie  larynx,  formed  by  the  sumits  of  the  arytenoid  cartilages 
and  the  epiglotis:'*  and  the  dificult}^  of  joining  it  to  the  natural 
voice,  which  is  thot  to  be  made  by  the  inferior  ligaments  of  the 
glotis,  is  ascribed  to  the  change  of  mechanism  in  the  traasition. 
On  this  I  have  only  to  add,  that  the  falsete  or  a  similar  voice,  but 
without  its  acutencs,  may  be  brought  downward  in  pitch,  below 
the  highest  point  of  the  natural  voice ;  at  least  I  am  able  so  to 
reduce  itj  producing  what  seems  to  be  a  unison,  or  an  octave  con- 
cord of  the  natural  and  the  falsette :  and  since  the  natural  voice 
may  by  cultivation  be  carried  above  the  point  it  instinctively 
reaches,  it  leads  to  the  inquir}-,  Avhethcr  these  voices  may  have  a 
different  agency  of  mechanism;  regarding  these  aditions  to  the 
range  of  pitch,  and  the  efort  in  acquiring  a  comand  over  themj  as 
acording  rather  with  the  suposition  of  a  diference  in  the  mechani- 
cal cause  of  the  two  voices,  than  with  that  of  an  extension  of  the 
powers  of  the  same  organization.f 

*  See  a  summary  of  the  discoTeries  and  opinions  of  M.  Dodart,  in  Rees' 
Cyclopedia,  under  the  article,  Voice. 

f  The  character  of  this  reduced  falsete,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  consisting  of  an 
aparent  combination  of  its  peculiar  sound  with  the  natural  voices  and  pro- 
ducing a  kind  of  resonant  vocality,  may,  in  a  maner,  be  ilustrated  on  the 
flageolet,  hy  singing  or  rather  by  what  is  called  '  burning,'  while  blowing  it. 
A  similar  sound  is  made  by  joining  a  vocal  murmur  with  the  shril  aspiration 
of  whistling.  Both  these  cases  however,  have  more  of  a  buzing  vibration, 
than  is  heard  in  the  reduced  or  hoarse  falsete. 

There  is  ocasionaly  heard  in  women,  an  atractive  and  conciliating  swetnes 
of  voicej  with  the  natural  Pitch  of  the  sex  tempered  bj'  fulncs  into  dignity  ; 
and  that  seems  to  be  a  resonant  union  of  the  Soprano,  and  the  Contralto, 
delicately  similar  to  the  ruder  resonance  of  the  reduced  Falsete;  a  voice, 
when  trained  to  the  truth  and  grace  of  elocutionj  delightful  in  social  life,  in 
the  Reading-Circle,  and  in  the  eaaier  feminine  eforts  of  the  Stage:  but  want- 
ing the  Matron-power  of  intonation  for  that  gravity  of  pasionles  thOt,  and 
vigor  of  thotful  pasion  which  exalts  the  style  of  Intelectual  Tragedy.  I  leave 
every  one,  to  describe  for  himself,  the  efect  of  this  voice,  whon  it  is  the  Instru- 
ment of  a  mind  with  discretion,  good  temper,  refined  familiarity,  and  with 
knowledge  enough  for  the  important  discovery,  that  it  was  made,  not  to  be 
6f\Uvoilled,  but  to  think  for  itself. 


140  THE   MECHANISM 

We  are  ignorant  of  the  mechanical  cause  of  the  falsete  :  the 
cause  of  its  pitch  is  equaly  unknown.  But  fiction  is  ever  ready 
to  suply  the  wants  of  ignorance ;  and  the  peculiarity  of  the  falsete, 
leading  physiologists  to  infer  a  diference  between  its  mechanism 
and  that  of  the  natural  voice,  they  have  sujDosed  the  pitch  of  the 
former  is  made  above  the  larynx,  by  the  back  parts  of  the  mouth. 
It  is  uneccsary  to  give  the  particulars  of  this  fiction,  as  there  seems 
to  be  no  other  foundation  for  it,  than  that  of  a  sort  of  antithesis 
in  causation  ;  for  the  natural  voice,  from  which  the  falsete  difers 
so  much,  is  suposed  to  be  made  loiiliin  the  larynx.  Whatever  may 
have  been  the  origin  of  the  notion,  we  have  had  from  somebody, 
a  full  theoretic  explanation,  when  there  is  scarcely  fact  enough  to 
warant  a  plausible  conjecture. 

In  our  ignorance  of  the  cause  of  the  variations  of  jjitch  in  falsete, 
we  may  perhaps  lessen  the  oportunities  for  being  led  into  fiction, 
in  showing  what  it  is  not. 

If  the  cavity  of  the  mouth  be  observed  during  the  exercise  of 
the  falsete  on  the  element  a-we,  very  little  alteration  will  be  per- 
ceved  in  the  positions  of  the  surounding  parts ;  except  some  slight 
contractile  movement  in  the  uvula  as  the  pitch  rises,  and  when 
this  is  strained  to  its  highest  degree,  an  almost  total  disapearance 
of  the  uvula  within  the  veil  of  the  palate.  That  the  contraction 
of  the  uvula,  in  the  higher  notes  of  falsete,  is  not  the  sole  cause 
of  its  pitchj  and  that  it  is  not  produced  by  parts  of  the  vocal 
pasage  situated  above  the  glotis,  seems  conclusive  from  the  folowing 
considerations. 

The  elements  n  and  mj  both  being  made  by  the  pasage  of  air 
from  the  glottis,  soley  thru  the  nosej  can  be  precisely  intonated 
in  the  falsete  scale.  In  this  case  the  curent  of  expiration  dcx's  not 
pass-by  the  soft  palate,  uvula,  sides  of  the  fauces  and  biise  of  the 
tongue ;  parts  of  the  mouth  suposed  to  be  the  cause  of  pitch  in 
this  voice. 

All  the  tonic  and  subtonic  elements  can  be  made  in  the  falsete. 
It  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  sound,  that  tlic  identical 
falsete,  and  its  pitch,  should  be  made  under  a  mechanism  so  varied, 
that  the  formative  cause  of  some  of  tl»e  elements,  as  of  a-wo  and 
a-n,  give  a  clear  pasage  to  expiration  by  the  mouth,  and  that  of 
others,  as  c-ve,  I,  and  r,  nearly  obstruct  it. 


OP  THE  VOICE.  141 

As  the  falsete  may  be  made  bv  inspiration  thru  the  nose  with  a 
clo.se<l  moutli,  tlie  air  cannot  come  into  contact  with  the  parts  of 
the  moiitli  which  have  been  asigned  as  the  mechanism  of  the 
falsette.  If  we  inhale  by  a  tube,  with  one  end  reacliing  beyond 
the  soft  palate,  the  pitcli  of  the  falsete  may  be  formed  by  inspira- 
tion ;  tho  the  curent  of  air  in  this  case  does  not  impres  the  soft 
parts  at  the  back  of  the  mouth,  but  pases  from  the  tube  directly 
into  the  glotis.  And  the  same  is  true  of  expiration,  where  the 
curent  passes  directly  from  the  glotis  into  the  tube. 

I  have  at  this  time  a  case  under  profcsional  treatment,  in  which 
the  tonsils  are  so  enlarged  by  disease,  that  their  near  aproach  to 
each  other,  alows  only  space  for  the  uvula  to  hang  between  them; 
obstructing  the  pasagc  of  air  thru  the  mouth,  except  by  an  efort; 
and  presenting  a  structure  altogether  diferent  from  the  comon 
condition,  asigned  as  the  mechanical  ciuise  of  the  falsete.  And 
yet  this  individual  is  able  to  make  the  falsete  intonation.. 

I  had  lately  an  oportunity  of  seing  an  instance  of  malforma- 
tion, where  the  whole  soft  palate  is  wanting.  The  pasage  to  the 
throat  being  a  single  arch,  curving  along  the  edge  of  the  palate 
bone,  instead  of  the  low  double  arch,  formed  by  the  soft  palate 
and  depending  uvula  in  the  perfect  fauces.  Adhering  to  each 
side  of  the  arch,  just  above  the  tonsil,  there  Ls  a  small  tuber  or 
fleshy  dropj  semingly  formed  by  the  curtain  of  the  soft  palate, 
being  divided  vertically  thru  the  uvula  to  the  palate  bone ;  and 
each  portion  of  the  curtain  being  then  drawn  within  the  soft  parts 
on  its  respective  side,  except  the  drops,  or  lower  parts  of  the  semi- 
uvulas,  which  project  in  the  maner  and  place  above  described.  This 
is  the  state,  at  rest.  In  straining  the  highest  notes  of  the  falsete, 
the  two  projecting  uvular-drops,  by  some  peculiar  muscularity, 
make  an  efort  to  aproach  each  other  horizontaly  acros  the  mouth, 
and  thereby  convert  the  semicircular  arch  into  the  form  of  a  horse- 
shoej  by  drawing  inwards,  each  about  half  an  inch,  along  the 
diameter  of  the  arch.  Here  then,  the  principal  part  of  the  apa- 
ratus,  said  to  produce  the  falsete,  is  wanting ;  yet  this  voice  and 
its  degres  of  pitch  are  acurately  executed  by  the  individual,  not- 
withstanding her  deformity. 

The  back  parts  of  the  mouth  are  in  their  function,  too  variable 
under  the  acidcntal  influence  of  muscular  efort,  to  l)c  the  mcclian- 


142  THE   MECHANISM 

ical  cause  of  the  fixed  and  acurate  degrees  of  the  scale.  For  wlien 
any  one  point  of  pitch  is  maintained,  the  soft  palate  and  its  apend- 
age  the  uvula,  may  be  seen  to  undergo  involuntary  movements, 
that  do  not  apear  to  have  any  efect  on  the  voice.  I  am  able  to 
make  twenty-four  distinct  notes  with  acurate  intonation ;  fiften  are 
natural  and  nine  falsette.  In  runing  this  compas  on  the  dipthong 
a-we,  in  which  the  articulative  mechanism  of  an  open  mouth  and 
embeded  tongue,  alows  the  isthmus  or  opening  of  the  fauces  to  be 
distinctly  seen j  I  perceve  no  alteration  of  position  m  executing  the 
natural  notes,  except  that  of  the  articulative  change,  when  the 
voice  rises  into  e-rr,  the  obscure  vanish  of  this  dipthong.  There 
is  an  unsteadines  in  the  positions,  but  none  of  that  definite  grada- 
tion in  organic  changes,  implied  in  the  ascription  of  the  variations 
of  pitch  to  the  motions  of  the  back  part  of  the  mouth.  In  into- 
nating the  falsete  discretely,  on  the  dipthong  a-we,  I  perceve  some 
change  in  the  palate,  but  little  or  none  in  the  tongue,  if  the  vanish 
e-rr  is  avoided.  The  change  in  the  palate  consists  of  a  convulsive 
action  of  the  uvula,  which  stai'ts-up,  as  the  radical  of  a-we  opens 
on  each  degree  of  the  scale,  and  the  next  moment  descends.  This 
convulsive  action  is  not  aparent  when  the  voice  ascends  by  the 
concrete;  tho  under  the  use  of  both  scales,  the  uvula  at  the  highest 
rise  of  the  falsete  is  contracted  almost  to  disapearance.  That  this 
extreme  contraction  is  not  productive  of  pitch  in  the  falsete,  I  have 
endeavored  to  show ;  but  am  not  able  to  say,  whether  it  arises  from 
some  conection  in  muscular  action,  or  from  some  change  of  the 
articulative  mechanism  in  its  higher  notes. 

I  have  ofered  these  few  remarks,  in  acknowledging  my  igno- 
rance of  the  mechanical  cause  of  the  peculiar  sound  and  the  pitch 
of  the  falsete. 

The  Whispering  voice  is  well  known.  It  is  an  aspiration;  anil 
makes  the  short  impulse,  and  the  final  Vocule,  of  the  atonic 
elements.  Those  then  are  necessarily  a  whisper.  All  the  other 
elements,  properly  vocal,  may  be  likewise  made  by  aspiration. 
Tiie  whis]>er  of  b,  d,  and  g,  considered  by  Holder  and  his  folowoi^s 
as  identical  with  the  atonies  p,  t,  and  k,  is  to  my  ear  at  least,  faintly 
distinguisluible  from  them,  by  having  a  loss  ea*<y  outset,  and  by  a 
slight  initial  efort  of  articidation. 

We  are  not  a('(jiiaiiitcd  witli  the  njiH-lianical  cause  of  whisper^ 


OP  THE  VOICE.  143 

as  distinguished  from  that  of  vocaliiy  in  the  natural  voice.  It  has 
lx?en  aticrihwl  to  tlie  operation  of  tlie  ourent  of  air  on  tlie  sides  of 
the  glottis,  when  its  chords  are  at  rest ;  whereas  vocality  is  said 
to  proced  from  the  agitation  of  the  air  by  the  vibration  of  those 
chords.  This  however  is  merely  an  inference  from  analogy,  and 
has  a  claim  to  posibilityj  no  more. 

The  whispering  voice  effects  its  variation  of  pitchj  in  a  very 
diferent  maner  from  that  of  the  natural  and  the  falsete.  The 
intonation  of  these  voices,  as  shown  above,  is  not  conected  with 
the  visible  movements  of  the  mouth,  tongue,  and  fauces,  which 
produce  articulation.  If  there  has  been  no  eror  in  my  observa- 
tion, the  traasit  by  the  scale  of  whisper  is  somehow  made  within 
the  vocal  organs,  by  taking  diferent  elements  for  the  sucesive  steps 
of  the  discrete  movement ;  each  whispered  element  being  itself 
incapable  of  variation  in  pitch,  while  its  true  articulation  remains 
unchanged. 

For  the  explanation  of  this  subject,  let  us  designate  three  forms 
pf  the  whispering  voice.  The  Articulated,  cohsisting  in  the  pronun- 
ciation of  the  alphal)etic  elements ;  the  Whistle<l,  having  the  well- 
known  shrilnes  of  this  function;  and  the  Suflated,  a  husky  breath, 
partaking  of  the  character  of  the  two  former,  without  having  the 
shrilnes  of  one,  or  the  articulation  of  the  other.  When  in  Ar- 
ticulated Whisper,  the  tonics  are  distinctly  pronounced,  without 
runing  into  Suflation,  the  changes  of  pitch  are  made  upon  changes 
of  the  elements.  In  the  order  of  articulated  intonation,  oo-ze 
is  the  lowest  in  the  scale,  and  e-ve  the  highest :  the  sucesion  by 
tlie  first,  third,  and  fifth,  thru  two  octaves,  being  upon  the  seven 
folowing  elements. 

First  Octave.  Second  Octave. 


1  3  5  81  3  5  8 


oo-ze       a-we 


a-rt  e-rr  e-11  a-le       e-ve 


This  scale  of  articulated  whisper  is  of  so  peculiar  a  character 
that  I  do  not  presume  to  speak  without  doubt  upon  it;  for  even  a 
seming  anomaly  in  intonation,  leads  me,  under  a  strong  belief  in 
the  uniformity  of  the  laws  of  nature,  to  question  my  own  obser- 
vation ;  and  to  call  for  the  asistance  of  others.     If  however,  this 


144  THE   MECHANISM 

is  the  real  construction  of  the  scale,  for  so  it  apears  to  mej  each 
intermediate  note  must  consist  of  sounds  that  resemble  those  con- 
tiguous to  it.  Thus  when  we  require  a  second  note  in  the  pro- 
gresion  between  oo-ze  and  d-we,  the  first,  and  third  in  the  scale,  it 
must  partake  of  the  articulation  of  both  these  elements.  And  of 
the  two  sounds  for  the  sixth  and  the  seventh,  between  a-rt  and 
e-rr,  one  will  partake  more  of  the  articulation  of  «-rt  and  the 
other  of  e-rr.  But  as  these  intermediate  sounds  are  not  iLsed  as 
whispered  elements  in  our  language,  they  cannot  be  made  with- 
out great  dificulty,  and  only  after  long  and  careful  efort.  Hence 
the  intonation  of  articulated  whisper  is  rarely  executed  with  pre- 
cision, except  at  the  points  numbered  in  the  preceding  series;  for 
we  have  only  the  whispered  elements  which  are  employed  at  those 
points. 

In  the  above  exemplification,  I  have  given  only  seven  tonics ; 
but  we  formerly  enumerated  twelve,  and  if  c-oy  is  admitte<l  as  a 
dipthong,  there  are  six  more  to  which  I  have  not  alottal  separate 
places,  in  the  whispered  scale.  Of  these,  o-ld  takes  its  place  witll 
oo-ze ;  i-sle,  and  ow-r  with  a-we;  t'-f  with  e-ve;  and  a-n  comes 
next  before  e-rr.  This  apears  to  me  to  be  the  position  of  these 
six  tonics.  Yet  I  cannot  ofer  the  observations,  as  altogether  satis- 
factory to  my  ear,  and  therefore  leave  the  subject  for  others.* 

*  It  is  necesary  to  remark,  that  a  delicate  ear,  and  a  practical  knowledge  of 
the  scale  are  required  for  measuring  these  degrees  of  whispered  articulation. 
The  extent  of  the  series  of  elements  given  in  the  text,  including  two  octaves, 
the  series  must  begin  on  the  gravest  degree  of  pitch.  I  cannot  on  this  subject 
draw  from  the  experience  of  others  ;  but  in  executing  the  rising  order  of  these 
elements,  I  take  oo-ze  at  the  very  lowest  point  at  which  the  articulation,  fr6d 
from  whistle  and  suflation,  can  be  madej  to  bring  the  highest  place  of  e-ve, 
within  the  reach  of  intonation;  my  voice  being  just  able  to  compass  these 
two  octaves  in  articulated  whisper.  As  a  matter  for  further  investigation,  it 
may  not  be  irrelevant  to  remark,  the  coincidence  in  my  own  case,  of  the 
number  of  degrees  in  the  scale  of  whispered  articulation  with  that  of  the 
natural  vuice  ;  both  being  about  fiftOn. 

Let  me  here  add  a  thot,  on  the  ground  that  the  intonation  of  articulated 
whisper  is  as  I  have  observed  it.  The  mechanism  of  the  vi/iixpn-ed,  and  of 
the  vocal  elements  being  the  same ;  and  the  places  of  the  several  whispered 
elements  being  fixed  points  of  the  scale ;  a  record  of  the  order  of  those  into- 
nated articulations  might  perhaps  lead  to  a  recovery,  if  lost,  of  Iho  sounds  of 
the  vowel-symbols  of  the  natural  voice. 

For  cxamjde,  supose  the  fixed  place  and  order  of  the  whispered  elements, 


OF  THE  VOICE.  145 

Tlie  pitch  of  the  mjlated  whisper  apears  to  be  made  in  the  same 
manor  as  that  of  the  articnlato<l.  For  in  ascendinfj  the  scale,  this 
suflation  has  a  Imsky  resemblance  to  the  whispered  elements ;  oo-ze 
beinp;  the  lowest,  and  e-ve  the  highest.  The  suflated  Avhisper  is 
employed  to  form  the  tune  of  the  Jews-harp.  As  the  })cculiar 
vibration  of  air  which  constitutes  the  ])itch  of  the  suflated  clement, 
pases  over  the  tongue  of  the  instrument,  this  tongue,  it  M^ould 
seem,  vibrates  in  unison  with  it.  It  is  owing  to  the  dificulty  of 
articulating  the  intermediate  artificial  elements  so  to  call  them,  and 
of  fixing  their  exact  place,  and  consequently  of  intonating  the 
full  discrete  scale  of  suflation,  that  even  a  good  musical  ear,  is 
rarely  alile  on  first  trials,  to  hit  acurately,  more  than  the  third, 
fifth,  and  octave,  on  the  scale  of  this  simple  instrument. 

The  pitch  of  whistling  is  also  produced  by  the  same  mechanism: 
for  in  this  case  as  well  as  in  that  of  suflation  and  of  articulation, 
a  thin  rod  passed  into  the  corner  of  the  mouth  by  depressing  the 

together  with  the  parts  of  the  vocal  organs  and  their  actions,  to  be  described. 
By  nsuming  the  known  position  and  action  of  those  parts  in  producing  an 
element,  and  expiring  at  the  same  time,  the  designed  articulation  would  be 
efected.  Thus  any  one  whispered  element  being  found,  its  place  on  the  scale 
is  also  found ;  and  the  fixed  place  of  this  element  being  known,  the  rest,  by 
their  order  of  upward  and  downward  discrete  intonation,  must  necesarily  be 
found ;  and  the  pronunciation  of  the  seven  whispered  tonics  may  be  ascer- 
tained. But  the  whispered  and  the  vocal  tonics  have  respectively  the  same 
mechanism.  It  would  therefore  be  required,  only  to  direct  the  stream  of 
vocal iiy  over  this  mechanism,  to  convert  the  whisper  into  vocality^  in  order 
to  have  the  recovered  knowledge  of  the  tonics,  as  they  were  used  in  a  lan- 
guage, of  which  the  phonetic  means  of  recognition  had  been  lost. 

The  interesting  discoveries  by  Young,  and  his  coadjutors,  of  the  vocal  ele- 
ments of  the  old  Egyptians,  hiden  so  long  under  their  peculiar  symbols^  were 
the  hapy  result  of  the  record  of  a  few  proper  names  :  and  the  subsequent  de- 
velopments by  the  sagacious  and  indefatigable  Champollion,  could  not  have 
been  efected  without  the  aid  of  the  verbal  sounds  of  tlie  old  Egyptian  language, 
still  represented  in  Coptic  writing. 

"We  here  ofer  a  passing  hint,  for  the  recovery  of  lost  vowel  sounds  in  any 
language,  founded  on  the  unalterable  character,  and  the  instinctive  uses  of 
the  human  voice:  and  if  the  above  account  of  the  pitch  of  whisper,  is  given 
upon  corect  observation^  it  shows  a  curious  anomaly  on  the  subject  of  the 
mechanism  of  the  vocal  scale ;  and  intimates,  that  we  are  not  yet  full  masters 
of  the  physiology  of  speech. 

With  regard  to  the  consonants,  we  must  keep  in  mindj  their  obvious 
and  describable  mechanism  in  the  natural  voice,  would  if  rucord<.'d,  alow  a 
recovery  of  their  phonetic  character. 


146  THE   MECHANISM 

tongue,  destroys  the  power  both  of  articulation,  and  of  ascending 
the  scale.  And  further,  there  is  in  the  lowest  and  the  highest  note 
of  whistling,  as  well  as  in  those  of  suflation,  a  kind  of  sound 
however  obscure,  resembling  respectively  the  articulated  oo-ze  and 
e-ve.  Closing  the  mouth  destroys  the  articulation  of  whisper  and 
of  the  natural  voice,  together  with  the  pitch  of  the  three  forms  of 
whisper ;  with  the  mouth  closed,  the  whole  scale  may  be  acurately 
hiimecl  in  the  natural  voice.  The  shrilnas  of  whistling  seems  to 
be  made  by  the  aperture  between  the  lips.  On  this  subject  we 
might  inquire  if  the  intonation  of  the  scale  of  wind  instruments 
is  not  in  some  cases  produced  altogether  by  the  pitch  of  suflated 
whisper ;  in  others,  by  its  combination  with  the  efect  of  a  varied 
position  of  the  lipsj  of  a  varied  force  of  breathj  and  of  the  varied 
ventages  or  stops.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  first  seven  notes  of 
the  key  of  D  on  the  flute,  and  their  corresponding  octaves  are 
severaly  note  and  octave,  made  by  the  same  stop.  The  diference 
of  pitch  between  a  note  and  its  octave  in  this  case  is  produced,  not 
perhaps,  by  the  position  of  the  lips,  nor  by  the  force  of  breath, 
but  by  a  diference  in  pitch  of  the  suflated  whisper.  It  is  perhaps, 
the  same  with  the  notes  of  the  flageolet  and  clarionet.* 

The  Subtonic  elements  when  whispered,  are  individiialy  incapable 
of  the  variations  of  pitch.  Have  they  like  the  whispered  tonics, 
relatively  to  each  other,  diferent  places  in  the  scale  ? 

In  order  to  perceve  clearly  the  peculiar  character  of  pitch 
above  described,  we  must,  in  executing  the  articulated  whisper,  be 
careful  to  make  the  elements  as  it  were,  at  the  back  of  the  mouth ; 
thereby  to  avoid  faling  into  the  suflation,  and  the  whistle,  that 
have  their  formative  causes  nearer  the  lips. 

The  Atonies  have  singly,  no  variation  of  pitch ;  and  if  they 
have  relations  to  each  other  on  the  scale,  they  are  of  no  impor- 
tance in  speech. 

The  voice  now  to  be  described,  is  not  perhaps  in  its  mechanism, 
diferent  from  the  natural ;  but  is  rather  to  be  regarded  as  an 
eminent  degree  of  fulnes,  cleiu'nes,  and  smoothnes  in  its  kind  of 
vocality,  and  this  may  be  either  native  or  acquired. 

*  It  mii^ht  bo  inquired,  whether  the  facility  in  executing  the  third,  fifth, 
and  octavo,  on  all  mouthed  instruments,  as  well  as  in  tho  voice,  is  not  con- 
ectod  willi  tin'  use  of  the  peculiar  scale  of  articulated  whisper. 


OF  THE  VOICE.  147 

The  limited  analysis,  and  vague  history  of  speech  by  the  an- 
cients, and  the  further  confusion  of  the  subject  by  conimejitators 
upon  thcni,  leave  as  in  doubt  whether  the  Latin  phrase,  '  os  ro- 
tundunij'  used  more  to  our  purpose  in  its  ablative,  'ore  rotundo,' 
by  Horace,  in  complimentino;  Grecian  eloquencej  refered  to  the 
construction  of  periods,  the  predominance  or  position  of  vowels, 
or  to  some  peculiar  vocality.  Whatever  may  have  been  the 
original  signification  of  the  phrase,  the  English  term  '  roundnes 
of  tone,'  specifying  as  we  may  supose,  a  smooth  fulncs,  seems  to 
have  been  derived  from  it. 

He  who,  by  observing  merely  the  sound  of  the  voice,  has  learned, 
for  he  must  leani  to  admire  its  grave  and  impressive  fulnesj  may 
rememl)er  how  slowly  he  came  to  the  perception  of  its  deliberate 
dignity.  Nor  will  he  deny,  that  its  peculiar  character  would 
have  earlier  atracted  his  atcntion,  had  it  been  distinguished  by 
a  proper  oratorical  name.  On  the  basis  of  the  Latin  phrase,  I 
have  constructed  the  term  Orotundj  to  designate  that  asemblage 
of  atributes  Avhich  constitutes  the  highest  character  of  the  speak- 
ing voice. 

By  the  Orotund,  or  adjectively  the  Orotund  voice,  I  mean  a 
natural,  or  improved  manner  of  utering  the  elements  w'ith  a  fuhies, 
clearnes,  strength,  smoothnes,  and  if  I  may  make  the  word,  a  sub- 
sonorous  vocality;  rarely  heard  in  ordinary  speech,  and  never 
found  in  its  highest  excelence,  except  after  long  and  careful  culti- 
vation. 

By  Fulnes  of  voice,  I  mean  a  grave  and  holow  volume,  re- 
sembling the  hoarsenes  of  a  comon  Cold. 

By  Clearnes,  a  freedom  from  aspiration,  nasality,  and  vocal 
murmur.* 

By  Strength,  a  satisfactory  loudnes  or  audibility. 

By  Smoothneas,  a  freedom  from  all  reedy  or  guttural  harsh- 
ness. 

By  a  Sub-sonorous  vocality,  its  mufled  resemblance  to  the 
resonance  of  certain  musical  instruments. 

I  know  how  difficult  it  is  to  make  such  descriptions  definite, 

*  By  this  last  term,  I  mean  an  obscuring  acompaniment  of  sound,  as  if  the 
whole  of  the  voice  had  not  been  made-up  into  articulation.  It  is  not  an 
unfrequent  cause  of  indistinctnes  in  speakers. 


148  THE   MECHANISM 

without  audible  ilustration.  Perhaps  the  best  means  for  instruc- 
tion is  to  excite  atention  by  terms ;  to  convey  the  subject  of  these 
terms  as  nearly  as  possible,  in  figurative  language ;  and  to  leave 
the  recognition  of  the  thing  described,  to  the  subsequent  observa- 
tion of  the  learner.  The  same  audible  relationships  that  furnished 
the  metaphor,  may  in  due  time  lead  others  to  acknowledge  the 
aptnes  of  the  ilustration.* 

The  mechanical  structure  and  action  that  produce  the  orotund 
are  to  me,  after  much  inquiry,  unknown.  During  its  uteranc«, 
we  may  perceve  a  motion  and  contraction  of  the  back  parts  of  the 
mouth,  diferent  from  the  action  of  those  parts  under  the  coloquial 
voice.  But  these  mdications  of  a  cause  are  so  slight  and  so  in- 
definite, that  they  do  not  at  present  apear  to  justify  more  than  this 
general  notice.  In  our  ignorance  of  the  mechanism  of  speech  we 
are  not  even  able  to  decide,  whether  the  orotund  is  only  an  im- 
proved quality  of  the  natural  voice,  or  the  efect  of  its  own  peculiar 
cause.  It  was  said  abovej  the  falsete,  or  something  hoai*sely  like 
it,  is  practicable  within  the  range  of  the  natural  voice,  below  the 
place  of  the  '  false  note.'  Is  the  cause  of  the  orotund  the  same  as 
that  of  the  reduced,  or  as  it  may  be  called,  the  Basso-fiilsete  ?  for 
this  has  somewhat  of  the  full,  holow,  and  sub-sonorous  efect, 
ascribed  to  the  acquired  orotund. 

Connected  with  the  subject  of  that  improved  vocality  of  the 
singing-voice,  called  by  vocalists,  '  Pure  Tone,'  several  terms  are 
used  to  describe  the  mechanical  anises  of  its  diferent  characters. 

*  Certain  reverberations  resemble  two  constituents  of  the  orotund  voice. 
Thus  vaulted  ceilings  and  coved  receses  often  give  a  sub-sonorous  echo ;  and 
speaking  with  the  mouth  within  an  empty  vessel  produces  a  holow  fulnes. 
One  of  the  best  instances  I  ever  heard,  of  a  modification  of  the  human  voice 
into  a  full,  hollow,  and  sub-sonorous,  character,  was  from  a  boy  who  had 
sportfuly  got  into  a  large  coper  alembic. 

It  may  be  worth  thinking  upon,  whether  the  brazen  and  the  earthcii  vases, 
which  were  somehow  formed,  and  then  somehow  sot,  within  the  masonry  of 
the  seats  of  Greek  theaters,  but  of  which  we  know  so  littU-j  were  not  designed, 
with  perhaps  the  co-operation  of  the  Mask,  to  modify  the  voice,  to  the  sub- 
sonorous  and  hollow  fulnos  of  the  orotund  ;  as  well  as  to  increase  its  force,  and 
to  return  a  concord  to  its  pitch.  The  speaking-trumpet  afords  tho  not  agrO- 
ably,  a  resemblance  to  what  we  would  hero  describe  :  and  could  tiie  bugle,  or 
the  organ  diapason  be  made  to  articulate,  it  would  give  tho  highest  moasuro 
of  that  fulnes,  and  sub-sonorous  efect,  which  in  distant  similarity  constitute 
tho  character  of  the  orotund  voice. 


OF  THE   VOICE.  149 

Among  tliese,  the  causations  implied  by  the  plirases  '  voce  di  testa/ 
and  '  voce  di  ix'tto/  or  tlie  voice  from  the  head,  and  from  the  chest, 
must  be  considered  as  not  yet  manifest  in  physiology ;  and  the 
notions  conveyed  by  them  must  be  hung  up  beside  thase  meta- 
phorical ]>ictures,  which  with  their  characteristic  dimnes  or  misrep- 
resentation, have  been  in  all  ages,  substituted  for  the  unataiuable 
delineations  of  the  real  processes  of  nature. 

There  is  a  harsh  kind  of  voice  called  Guturalj  produced  by  a 
vibratory  curent  of  air,  between  the  sides  of  the  pharynx  and  the 
base  of  the  tongue,  when  aparently  brought  into  contact  above  the 
glotis.  If  then  the  term  '  voice  from  the  throat'  which  has  been 
one  of  the  unmeaning  or  indefinite  designations  of  vocal  science, 
were  aplied  to  this  gutural  sound,  it  would  definitely  assign  a 
locality  to  the  mechanism. 

In  acknowledging  my  ignorance  of  the  mechanism  of  the  oro- 
tund, it  nuist  be  addedj  that  its  function  wherever  performed, 
may  yet  be  improved  by  studious  exercise.  And  as  the  best 
and  only  pure  instances  of  this  voice  are  the  result  of  cultiva- 
tion, I  here  propose  some  elementary  means  by  which  it  may  be 
acquired. 

It  would  seem  to  be  suficient  for  a  teacher  of  elocution  to  ex- 
emplify the  orotundj  that  his  pupil  might  imitate  it.  Vocalists 
in  their  lesons  on  Pure  Tone  do  little  more.  But  singing  has  long 
been  an  Art;  and  its  many  votaries  have  rendered  the  public 
familiar  with  its  leading  terms  and  principles,  and  acustomed  the 
ear  to  the  peculiaritias  of  its  practice.  Whereas  elocution  apcars 
to  be  with  the  vast  majority,  no  more  than  a  sub-animal  instinct ; 
by  which,  some  only  low,  bleat,  bark,  mew,  chatter,  whinny  and 
bray  a  little  beter  than  others.  In  describing  tliercfore,  without 
the  oportunity  of  ilustrating,  it  becomes  necesary  to  adress  the 
pupil,  as  if  he  ha<l  no  principles  to  help  his  intelect,  nor  exem- 
plifie<l  sounds  to  satisfy  his  ear.  In  this  case,  it  is  desirable  to  let 
him  teach  himself,  by  refering  to  functions  of  the  voice,  familiar 
to  him  both  by  daily  exercise,  and  name.  When  the  scholastic 
world  shall  comprehend  our  history  of  the  speaking  voice,  and 
aply  it  to  practicej  the  Educated  Class,  in  their  comunity  of  knowl- 
edge, will  learn  the  g0(xl  things  of  elocution  from  one  another; 
children  will  catch   the  proprieties  of  speech  from   well-taught 


150  THE  MECHANISM 

parents ;  and  many  a  topic  of  this  Work,  which  I  have  labored 
perhaps  in  vain,  to  make  at  this  time  perspicuous,  may  hereafter, 
from  the  unsought  enlightening  of  surouudmg  knowledge,  seem 
to  be  perspicuous  in  itself. 

With  studious  atention,  we  perceve  two  diferent  forms  of  res- 
piration ;  one  being  a  continued  stream  of  air  during  the  whole 
time  of  expiration ;  the  other  consisting  in  the  isue  of  breath  by 
short  iterated  jets.  The  first  is  that  of  ordinary  breathing,  pant- 
ing, sighing,  groaning,  and  snezing.  The  second  is  employed  in 
laughter,  crying,  and  speech.* 

By  a  comand  over  the  muscles  of  respiration,  the  speaking- 
breath  is  frugaly  dealt  out  to  sucesive  sylables,  in  limited  portions 
apropriate  to  the  time  and  force  of  each  :  thereby  guarding  against 
the  necesity  of  frequent  inspirations :  while  these  momentary  pauses 
betwen  sylables  as  well  as  words,  alow  an  opening  of  the  radical 
for  articulation,  and  instant  oportunities  for  recovering  the  breath. 

The  act  of  coughing  is  either  a  series  of  short  abrupt  eforts,  in 
expiration ;  or  of  one  continued  impulse  which  yields-up  the  whole 
of  the  breath.  This  last  forms  one  of  the  means  for  acquiring 
the  Orotund.  The  single  impulse  of  coughing  is  an  abrupt  uter- 
ance  of  one  of  the  short  tonic  vocalities,  folowed  by  a  continua- 
tion of  the  atonic  breathing  h,  till  the  expiration  is  exhausted. 
Let  this  compound  function,  consisting  of  the  exploded  tonic 
vocality  and  the  aspiration,  be  changed  to  an  entire  vocality,  by 
omiting  the  sharp  abruptnes  of  the  cough,  and  continuing  the 
tonic  in  place  of  the  aspiration.  The  sound  produced,  will  witli 
proper  cultivation,  lead  to  that  full  and  sub-sonorous  character, 
here  denominated  the  orotund. 

Tins  contrived  efort  of  coughing  when  freed  from  abruptnes,  is 
like  the  voice  of  Gaping ;  for  this  has  a  holow  and  sub-sonorous 
vocality,  very  diferent  from  the  coloquial  uterance  of  tonic  sounds. 
It  may  be  exemplified  by  giving  the  tonic  «-we,  with  the  mouth 

*  Liiiightor  and  Crying  will  be  particularly  noticed  hereafter. 

Siyliing  and  Groaning  arc  expirations  of  similar  time;  one  being  an  atonic 
or  whispered  clement,  the  other  a  tonic  vocality. 

SnOzing  is  a  rapid  expiration  uhruj)tly  begun  ;  and  generaly  producing  one 
of  the  elements. 

I  say  nothing  hero  of  the  various  forms  of  inspiration  conected  with  those 
acts.  • 


OF   TUE   VOICE.  151 

widely  extended ;  and  by  speaking,  as  far  as  it  is  possible,  in  a 
gaping  articulation. 

When  tlie  pupil  can  efect  this  entire  vocality  of  the  artificial 
cof,  if  it  may  be  distinguished  from  the  usual  cofj  Avhich,  with 
its  cpiick  explosion,  Ls  in  part  vocality  and  part  aspirutionj  let 
him  practice  it  suficicntly,  yet  avoiding  the  initial  abruptnes,  and 
he  will  not  only  acquire  facility  in  executing  it,  but  its  clearnes 
and  smoothnes  will  be  thereby  improved.  Let  the  voice  be  herein 
exercised  by  rising  and  faling  thru  the  concrete  scale,  on  each  of 
tlie  tonic  elementsj  drawing  out  the  vocality  to  the  utmost  extent 
of  expiration.    Then  let  trials  be  made  on  the  sylabic  combinations.* 

Being  able  to  execute  the  tonic  elements  and  single  sylables  in 
the  orotund,  the  pupil  is  not  therefore  fully  prepared  to  speak  con- 
tinuously in  it :  and  on  atempting  to  uter  a  sentence  in  this  voice, 
his  coloquial  maner  returiLS.  The  cause  of  this  will  be  obvious, 
by  recolecting  the  distinction  between  the  two  kinds  of  expiration. 
For  if  even  able  to  execute  the  orotund  on  single  sylables,  in  the 
Gontinuou^  stream  of  vocality,  he  has  yet  to  learn  the  use  of  that 
voice,  with  those  interupted  jets  of  expiration,  which  are  esential 
to  easy  and  agreable  speech.  Continued  practice  however,  with  a 
gradual  increase  in  the  number  of  sylables,  will  bring  his  in- 
terupted expiration  of  the  orotund,  under  available  comand. 

Altho  the  pupil  may  then  be  able  to  uter  any  number  of  suces- 
ive  sylables,  by  interupted  jets  of  this  voice,  yet,  from  having 
tlierein,  no  ability  to  vary  the  intervalsj  the  maner  of  their  suces- 
ion  will  be  monotonous :  he  will  have  no  power  of  expresive  into- 
nation, and  will  be  unable  to  make  the  proper  close  at  the  end  of 
a  sentence.  Repeated  practice  will  give  corectness  and  variety  on 
these  points,  and  tlie  management  of  the  orotund,  for  the  impresive 
and  elegant  purposes  of  s})ech  will  in  time,  be  no  more  dificult 
than  that  of  the  coloquial  voice. 

The  method  of  gradualy  acquiring  the  orotund  is  similar  to  our 
instinctive  progres  thru  the  sucesive  periods  of  speech.  The  cries 
of  infants  are  made  on  the  continued  stream  of  vocality.     It  is  a 

*  This  proces  of  forcing  out  the  breath  to  the  seming  exhaustion  of  the 
lungs,  is  apt  to  produce  gidiness  of  the  head.  Care  should  therefore  be  taken, 
to  avoid  continuing  the  exerci»e  of  the  voice  too  long  in  this  tnauer;  and  to 
desist  for  the  time,  when  that  afection  comes  on. 


152  THE  MECHANISM 

long  time  before  they  employ  the  interupted  expiration.  The  first 
uterance  of  the  child  is  by  an  aportionment  of  a  single  sylable  to 
a  breath.  By  a  preparatory  exercise  in  the  interupted  jets  of  laugh- 
ter and  crying,  the  comand  over  expiration,  and  the  habit  of  per- 
fect speech  is  acquired.  The  same  kind  of  raonosylabic  breath, 
employed  in  infant  articulation,  and  in  acquiring  the  orotund, 
ocurs  in  the  debility  of  age,  in  pulmonary  opression,  and  in  cases 
of  prostration  from  disease ;  for  here  the  uterance  frequently  con- 
sists of  but  one,  or  at  most  two  sylables  to  an  act  of  expiration. 
The  condition  is  similar  in  panting  from  violent  exercise;  the 
voluntary  command  over  the  interupted  jets  of  expiration  being 
therein  lost. 

The  orotund  is  posessed  in  various  degrees  of  excelence  by  emi- 
nent Actors ;  yet  being  a  muscular  function,  not  necesarily  con- 
ected  either  with  mind  or  ear,  we  often  perceve  it,  in  those  of 
a  humble  class.  The  state  of  mere  animal  instinct  in  which 
Actors  have  chosen  to  keep  themselves,  with  regard  to  the  uses  of 
the  voice,  must  convince  usj  they  can  have  no  systematic  pur- 
pose, nor  any  sucesful  means  for  improving  it.  There  is,  how- 
ever, one  circumstance  in  theatrical  speech,  that  may  undesign- 
edly produce  in  time,  the  full  volume  of  the  sub-sonorous  ovotund. 
I  mean  the  practice  of  vociferating,  semingly  required  by  the  ex- 
tent of  the  House,  by  the  deaf  taste  of  the  audience,  and  by  the 
poetical  rant  and  bombast  of  what  are  called  ^  stock  acting  trage- 
dies.' In  adition,  therefore,  to  the  previously  described  means  for 
acquiring  the  orotund,  I  shall,  in  a  few  words,  point  out  another 
method  derived  from  the  vehement  eforts  of  Histrionic  speech. 

Let  the  Reader  make  an  expiration  on  the  interjection  hah^  in 
the  voice  of  whisper,  with  a  widely  extended  mouth,  and  with  a 
duration  suficient  to  press  all  the  air  from  the  lungs.  Then  let 
the  whisper  in  this  proces  be  changed  to  vocality.  This  vocality, 
like  that  of  gaping,  will  have  the  hoarse  fulness  and  sub-sonorous 
volume  of  the  orotund.  The  forcible  exertion  of  this  kind  of 
voice  constitutes  Vociferation ;  for  vociferation  is  the  utmost  efort 
of  the  natural  voice,  as  the  shriek  or  yell  is  of  the  falscte.  Actore 
who  afect  the  first  rank  in  their  art,  are  often  by  energy  of  pasion 
urged  t(^  a  degree  of  force,  which  jjroduccs  the  mixture  of  vocality 
and  aspiration,  in  the  interjection  hah;  antl  it  will  be  shown  in  a 


OF  THE   VOICE.  153 

future  section,  that  the  junction  of  a  certain  degree  of  aspiration 
with  the  tonic  elements,  is  one  of  the  means  of  earnest  and  forcible 
exprcsion.  The  frequent  ocurencc  of  exagerated  pjusion  and  lan- 
guage in  the  drama,  joined  to  the  efort  required  by  the  dimensions 
of  a  Theater,  induces  the  habit  of  intcrjective  expiration,  which 
exerted  with  a  wide  extension  of  the  mouth,  leads  the  speaker 
to  the  atainment  of  the  orotund,  if  his  voice  is  capable  of  it. 

It  must  not  be  suposed  that  the  full,  holow,  and  sub-sonorous 
orotund  is  always  of  the  same  purity.  It  varies  in  its  degrees  of 
force  and  fulnes ;  and  is  sometimes  slightly  infected  with  aspira- 
tion, nasality,  vocal  murmur,  or  gutural  harshnes. 

If  it  should  be  a-skcdj  what  advantage  is  gained  by  the  care 
and  labor  here  enjoined,  for  acquiring  this  improved  condition  of 
the  speaking  voice,  it  may  be  answeredj 

First.  The  mere  sound  is  more  tunable  than  that  of  the  common 
voice.  Compared  with  the  full  and  sub-sonorous  character  of  a 
well-timed  orotund,  some  voices  have  as  little  even  of  a  hint  of 
music  in  them,  as  the  noise  of  a  hamer  on  a  block.  This  vocality, 
so  impresive  with  its  dignity  of  volume,  often  catches  the  ear 
and  aprobation  of  those  who  are  quite  insensible  to  the  agency  of 
pause,  quantity,  and  intonation.  I  have  known  the  single  influence 
of  an  orotund  voice  give  extensive  fame  to  an  actor,  Avho  in  more 
esential  points  of  good  reading,  was  even  below  mediocrity.  It 
is  this  vocality  which  dignifies  the  other  excelencies  of  speech. 
In  the  voice  of  women  it  is  most  obvious  and  delightful.  I  refer 
to  their  speech  only,  not  to  the  lower  notes  of  their  contralto  in 
song. 

Second.  The  orotund  is  fuler  in  volume,  and  purer  in  vocality 
than  the  comon  voice;  and  as  the  later  gives  a  delicate  atcnua- 
tion  to  the  vanishing  movement,  the  former  with  no  less  apropriate 
efect,  displays  the  stronger  body  of  the  radical. 

Third.  Its  pure  and  impresive  vocality  gives  distinctnes  to  pro- 
nunciation ;  and  when  completely  formed  is  free  from  the  dulnes 
created  by  nasality  or  aspiration ;  the  characteristic  ofcnsivencss 
of  which  is  shown  by  their  union  in  Snoring. 

Fourth.  It  exerts  a  greater  degree  of  articulative  and  expresive 
power  than  the  comon  voice.     In  this  respect  it  has  the  character 
of  things  perfect  in  their  kind.      The  ear  seems  filled  with  its 
11 


154  THE  MECHANISM 

volume,  and  asks  for  no  more.  There  is  too,  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker  himself,  that  satisfaction  -which  acompanies  the  full  ener- 
gizing of  a  function ;  for  here  Nature  herself  seems  to  acknowl- 
edsre^  the  voice  has  fulfiled  its  dutv.  Those  who  bv  cultivation 
of  the  singing-voice,  have  bi'ought  its  tone  to  the  utmost  extent 
of  fulnes  and  purity,  will  admit  the  importance  of  practice  and 
perseverance,  in  preparing  the  voice  for  the  purposes  of  speech. 
Compared  with  the  power  and  facility  of  an  endowed  and  high- 
taught  Vocalist,  common  instinctive  eforts  in  song  seem  to  be  not 
much  removed  from  the  imbecility  of  paralysis. 

Fifih,  The  orotund,  from  the  discipline  of  cultivation,  is  more 
under  comand  than  the  comon  voice ;  and  is  consequently  more 
eficient  and  precise  in  the  production  of  long  quantity ;  in  var^'ing 
the  degrees  of  force;  in  executing  the  tremulous  scale;  and  in 
fulfiling  all  the  other  purposes  of  expresive  intonation. 

Sixth.  It  is  the  only  kind  of  voice  apropriate  to  the  master- 
style of  epic  and  dramatic  reading.  By  it  alone,  the  actor  con- 
sumates  an  outward  sign  of  the  grandeur  and  energy  of  his  thot 
and  pasion.  Employed  in  what  will  presently  be  described  as  the 
Diatonic  Melody,  the  impresive  authority  and  dignified  elegance 
of  this  voice,  excede  as  measurably  the  meaner  sounds  of  ordinary 
discourse,  as  the  superlative  pictures  of  the  poet,  and  the  broad 
wisdom  of  the  sage,  respectively  transcend  the  poor  originals  of 
life  and  all  their  wretched  policies.  It  is  the  only  voice  capable 
of  fulfiling  the  solemnity  of  the  Church-service,  and  the  majesty 
of  Shakespeare  and  Milton. 

Finally,  as  the  orotund  does  not  destroy  the  ability  to  use  the 
comon  voice,  it  will  be  perceved  how  their  contrasted  employment 
may  add  the  resource  of  vocal  light  and  shade,  if  we  may  so  speak, 
to  the  means  of  oratorical  coloring  and  design. 

The  Mechanism  of  the  Tremulous  movement  does  not  apear  to 
be  conected  with  the  visible  parts  of  the  fauces.  There  is  a  gurg- 
ling noise  somewhat  resembling  it,  produced  by  a  vibration  of  the 
uvula,  when  brought  into  contact  witii  the  base  of  the  tongue,  in  the 
expiration  of  the  elements  e-ve  and  e-rr ;  and  I  leave  it  for  future 
observers  to  asccitiiinj  whether  the  tremulous  rise  and  fall  may  not 
be  refered  to  this  or  to  the  orgiuiic  cause  of  tiie  variations  of  pitch, 
in  the  natural  and  falsetc  voices. 


OF   THE   VOICE.  155 

I  have  here  endeavored  to  set-forth  what  we  do  not  know  of  the 
mefliaiiism  of  speech.  The  subject  of  the  voice  is  divided  into 
two  branches.  Anatomy  and  Physiology.  The  first  embraces  a 
description  of  the  vocal  organs.  The  second,  a  history  of  the 
functions  performed  by  that  organization.  The  anatomical  struc- 
ture is  recorded  to  the  utmost  visible  and  microscopic  minutencs. 
The  history  of  those  audible  functions  which  it  is  the  design  of 
this  AVork  to  developer  and  which,  by  the  strictest  meaning  of  the 
term,  constitute  the  vocal  })hysiolog\''j  has  in  a  great  measure  been 
disregarde<l,  under  a  l)elief  that  these  functions  are  altogether 
beyond  the  jwwer  of  analytic  perception. 

In  disregarding  the  physiological  analysis  of  vocality,  force, 
and  pitch  of  vocal  sound,  writers  have  tried  to  ascertain  only 
what  parts  of  the  organization  produce  these  several  phenomena ; 
and  seem  to  have  almost  restricted  the  name  of  physiology  to 
their  vain  and  contradictory  notions  about  these  mechanical  causa- 
tions. Hence  in  the  Elocutional  physiology,  if  we  may  so  call  it, 
of  the  organs  of  speech,  there  is  little  of  that  rooted  opinion,, 
which  in  most  cultivated  sciences  contends  with  an  original  in- 
quirer, in  every  atempt  to  sacrifice  ignorance  and  eror  to  the  cause 
of  truth.  Whereas  the  subject  of  mechanical  causation,  like  all 
other  maters  of  theory,  has  become  doctrinal  and  divided ;  and 
the  inquirer  has  here  not  only  to  strive  at  reaching  the  secrecy  of 
nature,  but  harder  still,  has  to  encounter  the  obstinacy  of  sectaries- 
whose  opinions  have  grown  into  pride,  by  their  unyielding  con- 
tentions with  each  other. 

When  the  observative  Reader  has  finished  this  volume,  he  will 
perceve  that  in  part  of  this  fifth  section,  and  ocasionaly  elsewhere, 
I  was  sometimes  ocupied  with  the  contestable  opinions  of  men  •• 
but  generaly,  with  an  aim  to  extend  our  views  of  the  human  voice,. 
by  consulting  and  recording  the  Oracular  voice  of  Nature:  a  con- 
trast that  may  well  induce  a  lover  of  truth  and  brevity  to  exclainij 
Happy  is  he,  who  desiring  to  enlarge  the  circle  of  knowledge, 
comes  to  a  subject  which  the  fictional  finger  of  the  school  has^ 
never  touched. 


156  THE  EXPRESIOX   OF  SPEECH. 

SECTION  YI. 

Oj  the  Expresion  of  Speech. 

In  the  preceding  sections  we  have  explained  the  terms  of  the  * 
five  modes  of  speech,  with  many  of  their  forms  and  varieties; 
have  described  these  modes  and  forms,  as  they  apear  in  the  radical 
and  vanish,  the  alphabetic  elements,  and  in  the  construction  of 
sylables;  and  far  as  acurately  ascertained,  have  shown  how  the 
Organs  of  the  Voice  mechanicaly  produce  the  phenomena  of  these 
modes  and  forms.  These  explanations  and  descriptions  give  a 
preparatory  view  of  the  functions  of  speech ;  and  embrace  all  the 
generalities  required  by  an  inteligent  and  atentive  Reader,  in 
pursuing  the  subsequent  details  of  this  Work. 

Speech  is  employed  to  declare  the  States  and  Purposes  of  the 
mind.  These  are  first  known  to  us  as  Perceptions ;  and  Percep- 
tions may  be  divided  into  Thots,  and  Pasions.  Acording  to  this 
view,  the  design  of  speech  is  to  declare  our  thots  and  pasions.  If 
we  acknowledge  this  distinction  in  the  states  of  mindj  the  voice 
must,  by  a  like  ordination,  have  distinct  means  or  signs  for  de- 
claring them.  It  is  therefore  of  great  importance  to  ascertain,  what 
are  the  diferent  means  in  the  voice,  for  declaring  in  one  case,  the 
plain  and  simple  condition  of  thot ;  and  in  the  other,  the  excited 
mental  condition  of  pasion :  for  these  will  form  the  leading  divi- 
sions of  our  present  subject. 

Schoolmen  make  a.  vague  dLstinction  between  thots  and  pasions, 
and  comon  usage  has  adopted  their  language.  This  is  not  a  place 
for  controversy ;  nor  Ls  it  necesary  to  inquire  deliberately,  whether 
the  above  distinction  refers  to  the  esential  character  of  the  states 
of  mind,  or  to  their  degres.  Some  may  be  disposed  to  consider 
thot  and  pasion  as  varied  degres  only,  of  intensity  of  perceptions; 
^ since  the  function,  noted  as  a  plain  unexcited  thot  in  one,  has  in 
another,  from  its  urgency,  and  without  aparent  specific  diference, 
tlie  active  ])ower  of  a  ])asi<)n  ;  and  in  the  same  person  at  (liferent 
itimes,  like  circumstances  j)rodiice,  acording  to  tlie  varied  susccpti- 
^liility  of  excitement,  the  mental  condition  of  eitlier  a  pasion  or  a 


I 


THE   EXPRESION   OF   SPEECH.  157 

thot.  Perhaps  it  might  not  be  dificult  to  show  these  states  have 
many  points  in  comon ;  and  that  no  definite  line  of  dcmarkation 
can  be  drawn  between  them.  But  liowevcr  inseparably  involved 
in  their  mingling  afinityj  the  states  of  mind  in  thot,  and  in  pasion, 
are  in  their  more  remote  relationships,  either  in  kind  or  degre 
distinguishably  diferent. 

Coresjwnding  to  this  diference  between  thot  and  pasion,  the 
vocal  means  for  declaring  their  extreme  distinctions  are,  a.s  we 
shall  learn  hereafter,  no  less  strongly  marked  :  yet  their  asimilating 
forms  prevent  a  strict  line  of  separation  between  them.  In  uter- 
ing,  as  a  polite  or  merely  thotfal  request,  the  phrasej  give  me  that 
book,  we  use  quite  a  diferent  intonation  and  force,  from  that  em- 
ployed on  the  same  words,  as  a  passionate  and  rude  imperative. 
Gradualy  add  earnestnes  to  the  request,  and  gradualy  moderate 
the  comand :  and  as  the  states  of  mind  become  identical,  so  will 
the  voices,  if  properly  representing  those  changes.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  manifest  diference  of  meaning  in  the  terms  Thot  and 
Pasion j  we  have  not,  in  our  ignorance  of  the  analytic  history  of 
speech,  perceved  the  want  of  a  discriminative  nomenclature,  and 
consequently  have  no  brief  coresponding  terms,  for  the  vocal 
sigas  that  severaly  represent  them.  Books  on  elocution  have 
inded  vaguely  employed  the  word  Expresion,  to  signify  the  voice 
of  pasion.  But  they  furnish  us  with  no  single  or  apropriate  term 
for  the  plain  declaration  of  simple  or  pasionles  thot ;  which  as  we 
proccde  in  our  history,  will  be  esentialy  required. 

Until  physical  science  shall  direct  a  penetrating  and  difusive 
light  upon  the  reciprocal  influence  between  the  mind  and  the  voice, 
all  will  be  desultory  and  confused.  The  term  Expresion,  tho 
suficient  for  the  indefinite  elocution  of  the  Orator  and  the  Player  j 
is  not  restrictive ;  for  it  is  as  comon  to  speak  of  the  expresion  of  an 
unexcited  thot,  or  meaning  in  language,  as  of  the  expresion  of  its 
pasion.  This  want  of  precise  distinction  between  the  states  of  thot 
and  pasion,  has  been  one  c^use  why  we  have  no  precise  terms  for 
vocal  signs  to  denote  this  distinction. 

Metaphysics,  which  has  been  in  a  great  measure,  the  art  of 
searching  for  the  useles,  and  seeming  to  find  the  imposible  relation- 
ships of  thingsj  has  unfortunately  been  sufercd,  for  it  is  a  disaster, 
to  spread  its  '  insane  root,'  within  and  thruout  the  subject  of  the 


158  THE    EXPRESION   OF   SPEECH. 

mindj  and  has  been  so  blindly  groping  in  its  absurd  atempt  to  dis- 
tinguish between  Mater  and  Spirit^  that  it  has  not  regarded  the 
manifest  diference  betvNeen  the  mental  states  of  thot  and  pasion, 
and  consequently  l^etween  the  vocal  signs  which  denote  the 
diference. 

The  Natural  Science  of  speech  requires  the  convenience  and 
precision  of  a  proper  nomenclature,  for  the  asignable  distinctions 
of  both  the  mind  and  tlie  voice,  Xew  terms  for  these  distinctions 
might  be  taken  from  other  languages;  yet  as  ihe plain- English 
spoken  facts  of  this  volume  may  to  the  '  calm  philosopher,'  who 
should  '  wonder  at  nothing/  be  so  repulsively  strangej  I  am  not 
disposed  to  strengthen  the  repulsion  if  avoidable,  by  ading  the 
further  strangenes,  of  words  adopted  from  a  clasic  or  a  foreign 
tongue.  Our  divisions  will  therefore  be  marked  by  familiar 
English  words,  with  prefixed  or  terminative  additions. 

Most  of  the  inquiries  into  the  subject  of  the  human  mind  have 
produced  little  else  than  partizan  contention  in  the  schools^  and 
delusive  self-conceit,  about  their  omti  faculties,  among  the  vulgar. 
This  has  kept  the  nomenclature  of  the  conditions  and  uses  of  the 
mind,  so  indefinite  or  eroneous,  as  to  confound  evert'  atempt,  by 
strict  observation,  severaly  to  arange  under  its  vague  and  variable 
terms,  the  directly  related  subjects  of  the  mind  and  the  voice. 
Should  I  then  fail,  or  not  do  my  best  in  this  purpose,  the  Reader, 
if  not  able  to  do  his  l^etter  best,  may  perhaps  acknowledge  the 
dificultA'  of  the  task.  The  states  of  mind,  indefinitely  caled  *  idea, 
perception,  thot,  sentiment,  emotion,  sensation,  feeling,  and  pa<ionj' 
whatever  their  diferent  characters  or  degrees,  having  never  been 
reduced  to  order,  and  to  clear  definition^  we  will  until  a  time  of 
more  acurate  obsers'ation,  embrace  the  imperfect  design  of  those 
terms,  within  a  nomenclature  of  greater  compas  and  precision. 

On  a  broad  survey  of  these  'ideas,  perceptions,  thots,  sentiments, 
and  passions,'  we  perceve  in  their  conditions  and  agencies,  the 
distinctions  of  a  Plain  and  Quiet  State  of  Mind ;  a  state  of  Ex- 
citement ;  and  a  state  Between  these  extremes.  We  may  then 
call  the  first  of  these  states,  that  of  Thot;  the  midle  state,  Intcr- 
thot;  the  thinl,  Pasion:  and  for  the  relationshi|>s  of  these  states  to 
Lmguage,  make  a  coresponding  division  of  the  vocal  signs,  or- 
dained by  Nature  severaly  to  represent  them.    In  the  detail  of  this 


THE   EXPRESION   OF   SPEECH.  159 

arangement,  it  may  be  necesary  to  refer  to  some  of  the  topics  of 
future  sections,  yet  wc  sliall  use  uo  term,  without  a  present  or 
previous  definite  explanation. 

The  First  state  or  condition  of  the  mind  is  its  simple  perception 
of  things,  their  actions,  and  other  relationships^  with  no  reference 
to  the  exciting  interests  of  human  life.  We  apply  to  both  this 
state  of  plain  thot,  and  to  the  vocal  sign  that  denotes  it,  tlie  term 
Thulire.  Its  vocal  sign  consists  in  the  simple  rise  and  fall  and 
shorter  wave  of  the  interval  of  the  second;  of  an  unobtrusive 
V(x?ality ;  with  a  moderate  degree  of  Force;  and  short  sylabic  Time 
or  Quantity. 

The  Second,  or  intermediate  condition  has  that  relation  to 
human  life,  which  excites  moderately  self-interesting  reflections  in 
the  mindj  and  embraces  dignity,  pathos,  awe,  serious  admiration, 
reverence,  and  other  states  congenial  in  character  and  dcgre  with 
these.  We  call  this  condition  of  the  mind,  and  its  vocal  signs,  the 
Inter-thotive,  but  preferably  the  Admiratlve  or  Reverentive.  Its 
signs  are  variously  the  inter\'al  of  the  semitone,  the  second,  oca- 
sionaly  tlie  third  and  fifth,  with  their  waves;  an  extended  time; 
a  full  orotund  vocality;  with  a  moderate  but  dignified  force. 

The  Third  condition  has  a  more  imediat-e  and  vivid  refereiKJe 
to  human  life,  its  reflective  interests,  and  actions,  under  the  im- 
presive  forms,  degrees,  and  varieties  of  pasion.  We  call  this  state 
of  mind,  and  the  signs  which  denote  it,  the  Pasionative.  Its  signs 
are  the  semitone,  and  wider  rising  and  faling  intervals,  with  their 
waves;  either  a  short,  or  an  exterided  time;  a  striking  and  varied 
vocality;  abruptnes;  with  high  degrees,  and  impresive  forms  of 
force. 

I  have  in  these  divisions,  used  the  terms  Inter-thot,  and  Inter- 
thotive,  briefly  to  denote,  the  intermediate  condition  between  thot 
and  pasion ;  but  as  these  words  are  at  first  startling,  and  are  not 
altogether  exact,  I  will  gencraly  designate  the  forms  of  this  division 
of  the  mental  state  and  its  vocal  signs,  as  Admirative,  or  Rever- 
entive, and  use  the  term  Inter-thot,  merely  for  brevity  of  ])hraso. 

These  terms  for  the  three  divisions,  do  not  as  it  apears,  belong 
to  our  language;  and  conveying  no  other  meaning  than  here 
ascribed  to  tlicm,  cannot  be  confounded  or  mistaken:  and  their 
final  particle  including  tlie  idea  of  agency,  properly  designates  the 


160  THE   EXPRESIOX   OF  SPEECH. 

influence  of  the  state  of  mind  on  tlie  vocal  sign,  and  that  of  tlie 
vocal  sign  on  the  ear.  Thus,  the  thoughtive  state  produces  the 
thoughtive  sign j  and  the  thoughtive  sign  produces  a  thoughtive  state 
of  mind  in  the  hearer.  The  case  is  similar,  in  the  influence  of  the 
inter-thotive  and  the  pasionative  states  respectively  on  their  vocal 
signsj  and  of  their  signs,  on  the  hearer.  The  efect  of  the  signs  of 
the  iuter-thotivej  or  as  I  would  call  it,  the  admirative  or  the  rev- 
erentivej  and  of  the  pasionative  divisions,  constitutes,  in  its  varie- 
ties and  degrees,  what  we  have  named,  at  the  head  of  this  section, 
the  Expresion  of  Speech. 

We  have  considered  only  the  single  or  individual  sign,  and  the 
single  or  momentary  state  of  mind  that  directs  it.  This  state  of 
mind  may  with  its  sign,  be  extended  to  the  curent  of  discourse. 
The  continuation  of  the  same  state  of  mind  and  of  its  apropriate 
vocal  sign  forms  a  Curent  maner  or  Style.  Of  this  we  make  three 
divisions.  Each  consists  of  a  sucesion  of  its  own  peculiar  con- 
stituents of  mental  state,  and  vocal  sign ;  and  may  be  severally 
called,  the  Thdtive,  Inter-thotive,  and  Pasionative  Style  of  reading 
and  speech.  The  motive  for  taking  a  separate  view  of  the  indi- 
vidual instance  of  the  state  of  mind,  and  of  its  vocal  signj  and  of 
their  continued  stylej  and  for  aplying  the  same  nomenclature  in 
each  casej  is,  that  we  shall  sometimes  refer  separately  to  a  single 
state  of  mind,  and  its  signj  and  sometimes  to  a  continued  curent 
style :  and  as  the  style  is  only  a  continuation  of  this  single  state 
and  sign,  it  is  proper  to  aply  the  same  terms  to  identical  constituents 
in  the  two  cases. 

In  here  dividing  the  subject  of  the  states  of  mind  from  their 
vocal  signs ;  and  in  denoting  the  individuality  of  these  states  and 
their  signs,  as  well  as  their  sucesion  in  a  curent  style,  by  the  same 
termsj  we  ofer  a  simple,  and  for  present  pnictiail  purposes,  a  sufi- 
cient  outline  of  a  clasification  of  the  relationshij>s  between  the 
mind  and  the  voice.  And  were  we  describing  Nature,  to  those 
only  who  can  throw-aside  the  habit  of  an  old,  limited,  and  dis- 
tmcting  nomenclature,  for  one  more  recent  and  precise,  ^^•e  Mould 
not  at  this  time,  encumber  her  simplicity.  But  the  atempts  of 
the  meta])hysical  schools  to  discriminate  the  states  of  the  miiul, 
and  the  vo<JiU  signs,  are  in  greater  piu-t,  so  visionary,  variable, 
indefinite,  and  erroneous;  and  their  nomenclature,  both  of  state 


THE  EXPRESION  OP  SPEECH.  IGl 

and  of  sign,  so  vague  and  superfieialj  that  I  shall  try  to  give  their 
dim  gropings  after  both  mind  and  voice,  more  meaning  and  pre- 
cision, by  conecting  some  of  their  terms  for  state  and  sign,  as 
synonyms  with  the  threefold  analytic  divisions  here  described. 

The  term  Xarnitive,  is  in  comon  language^  with  no  reference  to 
our  proposed  distinctionsj  employed  for  the  plain  statement,  dec- 
laration, or  afirmation  of  a  fact,  and  of  its  causes  and  consequences ; 
or  for  describing  the  course  of  a  simple  event.  These  purposes 
not  requiring  force,  or  other  pasionative  expreslon,  denote,  the 
state  of  mind,  we  call  thotive ;  and  thus  direct  the  thotive  vocal 
sign.  The  narative  then,  together  witli  the  simply  declarative, 
afirmative,  descriptive,  inexpresive,  and  unimpasioned  may  all  be 
clased  with  our  thotive  division,  both  as  individual  state  and  signj 
and  as  a  continued  style ;  or  briefly  there  may  be,  an  individual  nar- 
ative state  of  mind,  and  an  individual  narative  signj  and  a  con- 
tinued narative  state  of  mind,  and  a  continued  narative  signj  and 
in  like  maner  of  the  other  terms. 

Several  terms  in  comon  language,  indefinitely  signifying  states 
of  mind,  might  when  slightly  altered,  be  clased  with  our  admira- 
tive  and  reverentive.  These  are  the  sentimental,  if  this  word  has 
a  meaning,  the  gravely  pathetic,  the  dignified,  the  respectful,  the 
suplicative,  and  the  penitential ;  for  they  have  conventional  mean- 
ings, which  seem  to  corespond  in  character  and  degree,  to  the  state 
of  mind  we  have  ascribed  to  our  second  division ;  and  which  may 
if  required,  be  used  synonymously  with  its  term,  Inter-thotive,  in 
both  its  individual  designation  and  its  curent  style :  making  a  dig- 
nitive  state  and  sign,  and  a  dignitive  continued  style ;  and  in  like 
maner  of  the  other  terms. 

For  synonymous  clasification  with  the  Pasionative  division,  comon 
language  furnishas  the  words,  impasioned,  expresive,  the  earnestly 
interogative,  exclamatory,  derisive,  contemptuous,  and  otlioi^s  of 
the  same  vehement  family ;  together  with  the  numerous  terms  for 
the  pasions.  All  these  severaly  employ  the  impresive  forms  of 
vocality,  time,  force,  abruj)tnes,  and  intonation.  The  terms  Rhe- 
torical and  Declamatory  are  sometimes  used  with  reference  to  an 
expresive  state  of  mind,  and  to  energy  of  voice.  If  they  were 
clased  with  our  ])asi()native  division,  it  might  perhaps  render  their 
meaning  less  indefinite.     Tlie  pasionative  states  of  mind  are  also 


162  THE   EXPERSIOX   OF   SPEECH. 

designated  by  the  conventional  terms  for  human  pasion  of  every 
kind.  Some  of  these  will  in  a  future  section,  '  on  the  signs  of  thot 
and  pasion,'  be  refered  to  their  apropriate  modes  and  forms,  among 
the  named  and  measurable  constituents  of  Expresive  speech. 

I  have  not,  in  our  arangement,  given  places  to  those  two  com- 
mon terms  for  an  indefinite  state  of  mindj  Emotion  and  Feelingj 
since  the  former  is  not  asignable  by  me  at  least,  to  either  of  the 
expresive  divisions ;  nor  to  the  thotive ;  and  the  latter  will  be 
hereafter  aplied  to  the  state  of  mind  conected  with  the  vocal  ex- 
presion  of  song.  With  this  outline  of  the  relations  between  mind 
and  language,  we  leave  future  observation,  to  class  under  our  three- 
fold division,  if  aproved  or  corected,  whatever  comon  terms,  we 
may  have  overlookedj  which  broader  and  more  acurate  investiga- 
tion of  the  states  of  mind  and  of  the  voice,  may  asign  to  their 
proper  places. 

From  this  view  we  percevej  the  full  and  effective  science  of  elo- 
cution embraces  two  leading  considerations.  The  fii"st,  that  ever}' 
individual  vocal  sign  may  convey  a  single  state  of  thot,  inter- 
thought,  or  pasion.  The  second,  that  the  several  states  of  mind, 
with  their  signs,  when  sucesively  continued,  form  a  curent  style  of 
discourse^  or  what  will  be  described  more  particularly,  in  a  future 
section,  as  the  Drift  of  the  voice. 

With  all  our  definitions  and  divisions,  it  will  be  pei'ceved  in  the 
course  of  this  Work,  how  dificult  it  is  to  draw  a  definite  line  of 
separation  between  the  thotivej  the  reverentivej  and  the  pasion- 
ative  states  of  mind  ;  and  between  the  signs  which  scveraly  repre- 
sent them;  and  how  the  mental  as  well  as  the  vocal  difcrences 
pass,  by  indistinguishable  shades,  into  each  other. 

It  is  not  therefore  to  be  suposedj  these  several  drifts  of  Thot, 
Inter-thought,  and  Passion,  with  their  respective  signs,  are  used 
separately,  and  kept  distinct  from  each  other ;  by  which  the  ear 
might  become  familiar  with  their  several  peculiar  charactci*s:  and 
perceve  their  details,  by  a  conn)arative  observation  of  the  general 
contrasts,  and  particular  dificrences  between  their  various  styles. 
Were  this  the  case,  the  marked  vocal  efect  of  the  diferent  drifts, 
each  with  its  own  character  both  in  reading  and  speech;  would 
have  early  drawn  piiilosophic,  if  not  vulg-ar  atention  to  the  striUing 
diferences  between  their  general  curentsj  then  to  the  difcrences 


THE   EXPRESION   OF  SPEECH.  1G3 

of  tlie  individual  signs  that  constitute  the  difcrent  curcntsj  and 
finaly  to  a  full  analysis  of  sjwech. 

Yet  even  in  the  natural  ordination  of  the  voice,  and  more  con- 
spicuously in  its  coruptions,  the  course  of  a  drift  is  not  strictly 
continuous  and  identical  with  itself;  other  individual  states  of 
mind,  with  their  vocal  signs,  and  other  drifts  being  ocasionaly  and 
variously  interspersed  in  all  oratorical  and  coraon  discourse  ;  and 
this  by  confounding  iresolute  observation,  has  been  a  principal 
cause  why  the  particulars  of  the  true  relationships  between  mind 
and  the  voice  were  not  long  ago  clearly  perceved  and  named.  We 
have  in  the  course  of  what  our  vain-glorious,  yet  disputable  asump- 
tion  calls  Civilization,  so  disorderly  mixed  up  our  thots  with  our 
pasions,  and  our  pasions  with  each  other,  that  Nature,  disturbed 
perhaps  by  human  eror,  in  the  design  and  fulfilment  of  her  final 
causesj  has  to  the  transient  observer,  presented  an  aparent  con- 
fusion, in  the  conection  between  the  mind  and  the  voice.  And  yet 
true  in  part  to  the  law  of  adapting  speech  to  thot  and  pasion,  she 
still  shows  ocasional  and  striking  examples  of  her  ordinations; 
which  should  have  enabled  others,  and  which  have  directed  the 
Author,  to  make,  however  imperfectly,  the  divisions,  and  nomen- 
clature here  proposed. 

Let  us  under  another  view,  recapitulate  our  acount  of  the 
character,  uses,  and  transitions  of  the  diferent  vocal  cu  rents  of 
discourse. 

When  one  or  more  sentences  describe  an  object  or  a  piece  of 
machinery,  or  narate  the  coui-se  of  an  event,  it  fornxs  the  purely 
Thotive,  narative,  simply  afirmative,  or  descriptive  style.  A  curent 
of  similar  extent,  on  some  dignified,  plaintive,  reverential,  or 
solemn  declaration,  in  the  Church  Servicej  in  epic,  dramatic,  and 
other  elevated  yet  calmly  expresive  compositionj  would  be  a  pure 
instance  of  the  inter-thotive,  or  reverentive  and  admirativej  and 
the  voice  of  vehement  apeals  in  the  Forum,  of  an  excited  scene  on 
the  Stage,  of  the  furious  liberty  of  temper  at  a  universal-sufrage 
Election,  and  of  the  uproar  of  a  Volunteer  Fireman's  Ijaw-j)er- 
mited  fight,  would  give  both  refined  and  vulgar  examples  of  the 
pasionative.  These  several  styles  or  drifts,  generaly  ocur  only  in 
short  sections  of  various  extent,  in  the  greater  part  of  discourse. 
We  may  therefore  have  a  drift  of  clauses,  members,  and  whole 


164  THE   EXPRESION   OF  SPEECH. 

sentences ;  but  rarely  is  half  a  page,  and  never  a  chapter,  to  be 
found  exclusively  in  one  continuous  style. 

For  an  i lustration  of  the  maner  of  transition  from  one  drift  to 
another,  under  the  intermingled  use  of  their  several  constituentsj 
supose  the  thotive  or  narative  with  its  simple  second  or  tone,  to 
have  here  and  there,  a  word  distinguished  from  the  rest,  by  a 
more  impresive  interval,  an  extended  time  on  the  wave  of  the 
second,  the  full  vocality  of  the  orotund,  if  availablej  and  you 
pass  to  the  admirative  and  reverentive.  Again,  supose  the  semi- 
tone and  wider  intervals,  various  waves,  aded  force,  prolonged 
time,  peculiar  vocality,  and  abruptness  to  be  brought  into  the  rev- 
erentive, or  to  distinguish  all  its  emphatic  words ;  and  you  rise  to 
the  highest  forms  of  expresion  in  the  pasionative  style  or  drift. 

As  the  art  of  elocution  is  esentially  founded  on  the  state  of  the 
mind  and  its  indication  by  the  voicej  the  necesity  of  frequent  ref- 
erence to  these  agencies,  requiring  the  frequent  use  of  their  ternisj 
I  shall,  to  avoid  too  near  a  repetition  of  them,  variously  employ 
with  the  same  meaning,  the  termsj  state  of  mind ;  mental  and 
intelectual  state  or  condition ;  perhaps  the  new  word  Mentivity, 
if  alowed ;  and  when  admisible,  the  word,  state,  alone.  For  the 
indication  by  the  voice,  I  shall  variously  employ  the  termsj  vocal, 
verbal,  thotive,  and  expresive  sign ;  and  when  admisible  the  word, 
sign,  alone. 

From  the  confused  and  distracted  aterapts,  in  scholastic  ages,  to 
make  something  out  of  the  almost  nothing  of  comon  knowletlge 
on  the  voicej  and  from  those  fruitles  atempts  having  prodncetl  a 
nearly  universal  opinion,  that  a  discriminative  perception  of  the 
*  tones '  of  the  voice  is  unatainablej  I  have  soley  by  meiins  of  a 
diferent  method  of  inquiry,  been  enabled  to  ofer  many  important 
facts,  and  to  propose  for  them  a  clasification  and  nomenclature, 
which  may  lead  Elocutionists  to  listen  and  hear  for  themselves; 
and  by  this  extended  observation,  to  propose  divisions  and  terms, 
more  comprehensive  and  exact.  Nature  is  always  at  M'ork  among 
us;  and  if  from  indolence  we  may  not  choose  to  scrutini/e  lier 
ordinations,  and  in  fear  of  encountering  a  frowning  dificulty,  may 
not  be  wiling  to  look  her  labors  in  the  face;  still  the  numberles 
unsucesful  endeavors  to  name,  without  pcrccviug,  the  wise  adaj)- 
tation  of  the  various  conditions  of  the  mind  to  the  various  ex- 


THE  EXPRESION  OP  SPEECH. 


165 


presivc  modes  of  the  voioej  seem  instinctively  to  show  that  her 
purposes,  if  even  mistaken  or  perverted,  have  not  been  entirely- 
lost  sight-of  nor  forgoten.  I  have  therefore  from  the  indefinite 
and  groping  nomenclature  of  the  careles  world,  and  of  its  equaly 
careles  metaphysicians,  colected  what  seemed  to  me  might  be 
taken,  as  aproximate  vulgar-synonyms  to  our  definite  terms  on 
the  subject  of  the  relationships  between  the  mind  and  the  voice. 

I  here  propose  to  assist  the  Reader's  atention  and  memory,  by 
reducing  the  several  preceding  divisions  of  the  individual  states 
and  signs  of  the  curent  styles  of  Expresion,  to  the  folowingj 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


Condition 

or 

States  of 

ruind. 


Vocal  Signs 

of 
those  States. 


Synonyms  of  old  conven- 
tional terms  vaguely 
aplied  to  state,  and 
style,  and  sign. 


Thoughtive 

or 

Unexcited 

state. 


Inter-though- 

tive  or 
Admirative 

and 

Keverentive 

state. 


Pasionative 

or 

Excited  state. 


The  simple  rise  and  fall   f      Narative,     simply     de- 


and  shorter  wave  of  the  in- 
terval of  the  second ;  an  un- 
obtrusive vocality ;  a  mod- 
erate degree  of  force  ;  and 
a  short  sylabic  quantity. 

The  semitone,  the  sec- 
ond, ocasionaly  the  third 
and  fifth  with  their  waves  ; 
an  extended  time  ;  a  full  oro- 
tund vocality  ;  and  a  mod- 
erate but  dignified  force.     .. 

The  semitone,  and  wider 
rising  and  fuling  intervals, 
with  their  waves;  either  a 
short  or  extended  time  ;  a 
striking  and  varied  vocal- 
ity ;  abruptnes  ;  with  high 
degrees  and  expresi  ve  forms 
of  force. 


claratorj'^  or  afirmative; 
J  descriptive;  dispasionate ; 
I  inexpresive;  unimpasion- 
I  ed  ;  emotionles  ;  plain  and 
I  even  tone  of  voice. 

Sentimental ;  gravely  pa- 
thetic; reverential ;  digni- 
fied ;  respectful ;  suplica- 
tive  ;  penitential  ;  and  ex- 
presive  of  awe  and  admira- 
tion. 

Impasioncd  ;  expresive  ; 
earnestly  interogative ;  de- 
clamatory; rhetorical ;  con- 
temptuous ;  derisive ;  and 
the  conventional  terms  for 
every  vehement  pasion. 


I  shall  not  indeed  be  always  able  to  entirely  satisfy  myself,  in 
the  use  of  every  term  of  the  preceding  divisions  with  their  syno- 
nyms. But  having  given  a  new  and  far-reaching  analysis j  a  new 
arangement  and  nomenclature  became  necesary ;  and  imperfect  as 


166  THE   EXPRESION   OF   SPEECH. 

it  may  be,  the  leading  lines  of  the  methodic  survey  will  aford 
others,  an  example  at  least  of  a  failure ;  Avhich  by  the  negative 
asistance  of  a  rejected  eror,  may  help  to  remove  some  of  the  difi- 
culty  that  might  otherwise  delay  succes.  Let  me  however,  caution 
my  Readers,  not  to  rely  so  implicitly  on  the  suspicions  of  an 
author  against  himself,  as  hastily  to  confirm  his  concesive  and  due 
distrust,  of  what  wiser  and  asuring  time  may  at  length  show  to 
be  worthy  of  adoption. 

Of  all  this  esay,  the  arangement  I  have  been  obliged  to  ofer 
on  the  subject  of  expresion,  has  delayed  if  not  perplexed  me  the 
most,  and  satisfied  me  least :  since  it  aims  to  divide  for  the  pur- 
pose of  instruction,  what  Nature  in  her  purposed  agency,  seems  to 
have  joined  by  the  chain,  or  as  we  may  here  call  it,  the  concrete 
conection  of  all  her  creative  transitions.  In  other  parts  of  this 
Work,  I  had,  where  hapily  no  language  existed,  to  make  one  for 
untold  ])henomena :  in  this,  to  encounter  a  desperate  confasion  in 
the  language  of  the  scholastic  world,  formed  before  it  knew  dis- 
tinctly what  it  had  to  name. 

The  clasifications  of  science  were  instituted  in  part,  to  assist  the 
working  powers  of  the  intelect ;  yet  in  fulfiling  the  purpose  of 
comunicating  and  preserving  knowletlge,  they  unfortunately  some- 
times produce  the  undesigned  hindrance  of  its  alteration  or  ad- 
vancement, by  creating  a  belief  of  its  systematic  completion.  Tho 
the  numberles  revolutions  in  scientific  arangement  are  full  of  ad- 
monitionsj  we  forget  how  often  the  fictitious  afinities,  and  the 
distinctions  of  system  have  on  the  one  hand,  presumptuously 
united  the  intended  divisions  of  Nature,  and  on  the  other,  broken 
the  beautiful  conection  of  her  circle  of  truth. 

In  submision  to  the  neccsities  of  instruction,  I  have  atemptcd, 
by  an  arangement,  however  imperfect,  to  distinguisii  the  several 
states  of  mindj  and  the  several  vocal  signs  that  represent  them ; 
with  the  hope  that  futin-e  inquiry  may.  determine  their  real  rela- 
tionships, by  a  full  and  acurate  history  of  the  Mind,  and  of  tho 
Voice.  For  we  may  as  well  supose,  all  those  works  of  uscfulnes 
are  already  acomplished,  which  are  foretold  by  the  just  and  ex- 
tended powers  of  human  observation,  and  the  «ilculated  ])romises 
of  Science^  as  that  those  Delightful  Arts,  which  employ  while  they 
regulate  the  refined  purposes  of  perception,  have  yet  disclosed  their 


THE    EXPRESION    OF   SPEECH.  167 

coming  grandeurs  and  graces,  prefigured,  under  the  future  exten- 
sion of  knowledge  and  prece})t,  in  the  Prophetic  Book  of  Taste. 
Let  us  leave  the  seventh  day  of  rest,  to  the  holiday  rejoicing  of 
physicians,  laNvyers,  priests,  and  politicians,  who  look  upon  their 
disitstrous  creations,  and  cuning  schemes  for  human  misery,  and 
pronounce  them  original,  and  finished,  and  good.  Let  them  build 
strongly  around  the  vaunted  perfection  of  their  Theories,  Codes, 
Councils,  and  Constitutions.  Let  them  guard  the  ark  of  a  fore- 
father's wisdom,  and  proclaim  its  unalterable  holines  to  the  people, 
for  the  safety,  honor  and  emolument  of  the  keeper.  The  great 
Contributions  to  Knowledge,  like  the  great  and  progresive  Crea- 
tions of  Nature  herself,  have  never  yet  found  and  perhaps  never 
will  find,  their  day  of  rest ;  and  the  renowned  forefathers  of  many 
a  work  of  usefulnes  as  well  as  glory  are,  by  the  like  merit  or  am- 
bition which  raised  their  own  temporary  greatnes,  transmuted  to 
corigible  children,  in  the  eye  of  the  advancing  labor  of  a  later  age. 

It  has  been  aleged  of  the  expresion  of  speech,  that  a  discrimi- 
nation of  its  concealed  and  delicate  agency,  is  beyond  the  scrutiny 
of  the  human  ear.  If  the  term  human  ear  is  sarcasticaly  used 
for  that  fruitlesly  busy  and  slavish  organ,  which  has  so  long 
listened  for  the  clear  voice  of  nature,  amid  the  conflicting  tumult 
of  opinion  and  authority,  we  mast  admit  and  regret  the  truth  of 
the  assertion.  But  it  is  not  true  of  a  keen,  indastrious,  and  inde- 
pendent exercise  of  the  senses;  nor  can  it  be  afirmed  without  pro- 
fanity, of  that  supreme  power  of  observation,  deputed  among  the 
final  causes  of  creation,  for  the  efective  gathering  of  truth,  and  the 
progresive  improvement  of  mankind. 

Our  conquests  in  knowledge  must  be  the  joint  achievement  of 
cautious,  but  free-minded  and  indastrious  Numbers,  and  of  de- 
liberate, patient,  and  unwasted  Time.  Leaving  then  to  populous 
futurity  the  gradual  completion  of  the  Work,  I  looked  around  for 
present  asistance:  and  having,  with  more  need  than  hojxi,  yet  with 
an  untold  purpose,  consulted  the  views  of  others  on  the  analytic 
means  for  delineating  the  voice  of  exprcsionj  I  generaly  receved 
some  query  like  this :  Is  it  posible  to  recognize  and  measure  all 
those  delicate  variations  of  sound,  that  have  pased  so  long  witliout 
detection,  and  that  seem  scarcely  more  amenable  to  sense  than  the 
atoms  of  air  on  which  they  are  made  ?     It  is  possible  to  do  all 


168  tHE   EXPRESION   OF  SPEECH. 

this :  and  if  we  cannot  '  Find  the  way '  for  a  victorious  develop- 
ment of  nature,  'let  usj'  with  the  maxim,  and  in  the  contriving 
thot,  and  resolution  of  the  great  Carthagenian  Captainj  'let  us 
Make  one.' 

It  will  not  be  denied,  that  vocality,  force,  time,  and  intonation, 
under  all  their  forms,  constituting  the  expresion.  of  speech,  may  be 
distinctly  heard ;  nor  will  it  be  maintained^  there  is  the  least 
liability,  even  in  the  comon  ear,  to  misaprehend,  or  to  confound 
the  varied  states  of  mind,  they  respectively  convey.  No :  still  it  is 
objected,  that  the  peculiar  kind,  the  measurable  degree,  and  the 
comingling  variety  of  those  forms  cannot  be  distinguished.  But 
as  the  vocal  movements  thus  distinctly  audible,  include  all  these 
conditions ;  and  the  states  and  purposes  of  the  mind  are  so  readily 
recognized  under  all  their  kinds,  degrees,  and  combinations,  I  leave 
it  to  those  who  make  the  objection,  to  ask  themselves j  if  a  full 
and  clear  discrimination  of  the  vocal  signs  is  not  implied  in  that 
recognition.  In  truth,  even  the  most  delicate  voices  of  thot  and 
expresion,  tho  suposed  to  be  imperceptible,  are  always  distinctly 
heard ;  and  if  the  ready  comprehension  of  their  mental  purpose 
may  decide  the  question,  are  always  recognized  and  measured,  in 
the  strictest  meaning  of  the  words :  but  they  have  never  been  ana- 
lyticaly  perceved,  and  definitely  named.  For  even  those  who  have 
pretended  to  observe,  and  to  teach  on  the  subject  of  tlie  voice  have 
as  yet,  no  language  for  the  discriminations,  absolutely  neccsary  in 
the  explanation  of  speech,  and  every  day  instinctively  made,  even 
by  the  popular  ear.  I  propose  to  give  a  precise  history  of  the 
vocal  means  for  representing  the  various  states  of  thot  and  of 
pasion  ;  to  point  out  their  modes,  forms,  and  varieties,  and  to  asign 
a  definite  nomenclature  to  them. 

There  is  perhaps  no  vain  confidence,  in  sujiosing  the  Header  to 
be  now  well  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the  radical  and  van- 
ishing movement.  This  wide-reaching  function  of  the  voice,  has 
been  represented  under  its  difercnt  forms,  in  speech  and  song. 
We  have  traced  it  in  the  literal  elements,  and  seen  its  influence  in 
directing  the  phenomena  of  sylables.  I  have  yet  to  show  its  in- 
strumentality in  tlic  various  and  delicate  uses  of  exjirossion :  and 
if  I  shall  bo  able  thereby  to  unfold  the  principles  of  this  marvel- 
ous mystery  of  Nature,  it  will  be,  by  developing  some  of  the 


J 


THE   PITCH   OF  THE  VOICE.  169 

particulars  of  that  greater  marvel  of  agency,  in  which  a  wise 
simplicity  of  means  is  employed  thruout  her  profuse  and  never- 
wasteful  creations. 

Five  general  divisions  of  the  modes  of  vocal  sound  were  made 
in  the  first  section  of  this  essay.  In  summary  repetition,  they  arej 
Vocality,  or  kind  of  voice ;  Time,  or  the  measure  of  its  duration ; 
Force,  or  the  variations  of  strength  and  weaknes ;  Abruptnes,  or 
an  explosive  uterance;  and  Pitch,  or  the  variations  of  acutcnes 
and  gravity.  It  will  be  shown,  that  each  of  these  general  modes 
is  inclusive  of  many  forms  and  varieties,  with  their  diferent 
degrees;  and  that  the  now  measurably  thotive  and  pasionative 
signs  of  speech,  consist  of  the  unmysterious  use  of  the  diferent 
forms  and  varieties  of  these  modes,  and  of  their  diferent  combi- 
nations with  each  other. 


SECTION  VII. 

Of  the  Pitch  of  the  Voice. 

The  mode  of  the  voice  we  have  now  to  consider,  altho  not 
more  esential  than  the  others,  in  the  constituency  of  sjjeech,  has 
nevertheles,  from  our  ignorance  of  its  particular  forms  and  uses, 
been  a  subject  of  wonder ;  and  from  our  childish  love  of  wonder 
has  become  especialy  a  subject  of  interesting  inquiry.  To  this 
mode  of  Pitch  belong  the  many  forms  and  varieties  of  Intona- 
tion, or  as  they  have  been  called  in  the  schools  of  Khetoric  and 
Prosody,  by  a  sort  of  prescriptive  determination,  the  '  undiscover- 
able  or  unasignable  Tones  or  acents  of  the  voice.' 

The  Greeks  in  their  fondnes  for  definition  and  division,  were 
always  disposed  to  go  to  the  root  of  whatever  knowledge  they  be- 
leved  to  have  a  root,  and  at  the  same  time  to  be  worthy  of  inquiry. 
They  seem  therefore,  as  we  might  infer  from  their  want  of  thotful 
curiosityj  seting  aside  their  neglect  of  observation^  to  have  con- 
sidered a  full  analysis  of  sjieech,  as  impracticable,  or  as  usclcs. 
Either  from  these  or  other  causes,  the  subject  so  feebly  atracted 
12 


170  THE   PITCH 

their  atention,  that  we  might  be  disposed  to  think  they  derived 
their  knowledge  of  the  Shding  or  concrete  function,  from  Egypt 
or  from  some  earlier  Eastern  source.  Had  it  been  discovered  in 
the  school  of  Pythagoras,  or  of  Aristoxenus,  it  does  not  seem 
probable,  that  having  found  tliis  key  to  the  entrance  of  speech, 
they  would  have  closed  their  hearing  to  what  yet  remained  within 
the  secrecy  of  nature :  for,  with  a  moderate  degree  of  curiosity, 
and  a  very  little  further  observation  of  the  simple  concrete,  they 
would  have  perceved  that  important  subdivision  of  its  structure, 
which  we  have  described  as  the  Radical  and  Vanish.  However 
this  may  have  been,  neither  the  Greeks  nor  the  Romans,  aparently 
writing  all  they  knew  on  the  practical  uses  of  the  concrete  acentj 
have  left  the  least  record  of  their  oj)inions,  their  expectations,  or 
their  hopes  on  this  subject,  beyond  the  restricted  limit  of  what 
they  already  knew.  Yet  indispensable  as  their  discovery  of  the 
concrete  was  to  the  development  of  speechj  it  is  certain,  they 
never  aded  to  the  first  and  simple  perception  of  this  acentual  slide, 
tlie  smalest  item  of  discriminative  analysis.  The  gramarians  and 
comentators  of  the  Alexandrian,  Byzantine,  and  of  subsequent 
schools,  in  discussing  the  subject  of  Greek  acent,  never  extended 
their  inquiry  beyond  the  indefinite  opinions  of  more  ancient 
writers ;  while  still  later  authors  and  teachers,  with  the  determined 
faith  and  worship  of  classical  scholarship,  beleving  it  was  not  done 
by  the  Greeks,  because  it  realy  could  not  be  done  at  all,  have  at 
last  united  in  a  general  persuasion,  nay  conviction,  that  any  further 
discovery  is  impossible.* 

*  As  Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  in  his  treatise  '  On  the  Arrangement  of 
Words,'  has  described  more  particularly,  the  character  and  practical  uses  of 
this  acent  or  inflection,  than  any  other  Greek  or  Roman  writer^  I  shall,  to 
show  how  limited  and  indelinite  he  is,  give  from  his  eleventh  section,  an 
extract  of  all  ho  says  on  this  point ;  and  shall  insert  in  its  course  some 
explanatory  parenthetic  remarks. 

'  There  is  in  oratorical  discourse,  a  kind  of  time,  difcring  from  that  of  Song, 
and  {from  the  melody)  of  Music,  only  in  degree,  but  not  in  kind  or  quality.' 
(  We  sup2iose  he  means  that  each  employs  intervals,  but  speech  fewer,  and  those 
of  less  extent.)  Imediatoly  folowing-up  the  thot,  he  adds:  'There  is  in  ora- 
torical discourse,  (and  in  music,)  the  like  tiuie,  that  charms  the  car;  the  like 
rythmus,  that  sustains  the  voice ;  \by  the  easy  and  graceful  step  of  acnif  and 
quantity ;)  the  like  variety  that  excites  atention  ;  and  a  like  conformity  of  the 
whole  to  its  purpose ;  the  only  diference  being  in  the  more  and  the  loss.'    (/?i 


OF  THE   VOICE.  171 

If  then  we  liave  come  to  a  describable  perception  of  the  con- 
stituents of  the  voice,  let  us  learn  to  apply  it. 

There  is  in  our  first  section,  a  compendious  view  of  the  various 
forms  of  Pitchj  from  the  minute  interval  of  the  tremulous  scale, 
to  the  octave,  and  beyond  it,  both  in  theu*  upward  and  downward 

the  number  and  extent  of  the  intervals.)  'In  oratorical  discourse,  the  tune  of 
the  voice  is  restricted  to  the  interval  of  a  Fifth,  or  thereabouts.  That  is,  it 
does  not  vary  beyond  three  tones  and  a  half,  {these  being  the  constituents  of  a 
Fifth,)  either  in  an  upward  or  downward  direction.  It  is  not  to  be  suposedj 
all  the  words  of  discourse  are  to  be  pronounced  with  the  same  accent ;  (inflec- 
tio7i  or  concrete ;)  for  one  is  to  have  an  acute,  {risi7ig,)  another  a  grave  (faling) 
acent,  and  another  to  have  both,  [the  acute,  joined  in  continuation  loith  the 
grave,  on  the  same  sylable,)  which  is  called  the  Circumflex.'  Again,  '  some 
words  have  the  acute  and  the  grave  separately  heard  on  diferent  sylables.  In 
disylables,  there  is  no  middle  place  for  aplying  an  acute  or  grave.  {A  truisin ; 
for  where  there  is  no  midle  sylable  there  can  be  no  midle  accent. )  In  polysylables 
of  every  kind,  one  of  the  sylables  has  the  acute  accent  and  the  rest  the  grave.' 
'  The  tune  [say  intonation)  of  instruments  and  of  song,  is  by  no  means  limited 
as  in  speech,  to  this  interval  of  the  Fifth  ;  but  runs  through  the  octave,  Fifth, 
fourth,  second,  semitone,  and  according  to  some,  the  quarter  tone.' 

Here  is  all  that  Dionysius  says,  on  what  we  have  been  taught  to  think  the 
profound  knowledge  and  skill  of  the  Greeks,  in  the  philosophy  and  practice 
of  this  singitig,  or  as  we  must  now  call  it  intonation,  in  speech.  Nor  is  this 
to  be  taken  as  a  mere  sumary  of  a  fuler  detail  of  knowledge  ;  as  the  descrip- 
tion contains  more  particulars  than  all  the  still-remaining  rhetorical  and 
musical  writings  of  the  ancients.  But  we  findj  this  only  atempt  to  describe 
in  detail,  the  melody  of  Grecian  discourse,  refers  especialy  to  that  equaly 
obscure,  and  disputed  question j  the  Acentual  stress  on  sylables;  which  cer- 
tainly would  not  have  been  the  case,  could  any  of  the  numerous  authors  on 
this  subject  have  had  the  least  thot  of  a  natural  and  comprehensive  system  of 
intonation.  Indeed  the  acount  of  the  '  tune'  of  speech,  by  Dionysius,  and  by 
all  the  writers  on  rhetoric  and  music,  seems  to  have  been  given  only  under 
some  vague,  and  as  we  must  now  consider  it,  absurd  notion  of  the  acute,  grave, 
and  circumflex  acent  or  inflection,  being  invariably  applied  to  certain  syl- 
ablesj  both  when  pronounced  alone,  and  in  the  curent  of  discourse.  We 
must  therefore  concludej  from  this  belief  of  the  Greeks,  that  all  their  sylabic 
acents  were  unchangeable^  it  could  never  have  entered  their  minds,  to  con- 
ceve  a  measurable  and  varied  melody  on  sucesive  sylables  in  speech.  It  would 
be  wrong,  to  sav;;  Dionysius  and  his  Grecians  did  not  know  their  own  opin- 
ions about  the  voice ;  but  I  must  think,  a  strict  observer  in  this  case  will  say, 
they  knew  almost  nothing  of  its  reality.  When  a  false  jierception  is  measured 
by  itself,  as  hapens  in  systems  raised  upon  authority  or  conceit,  all  that  is 
defective,  distorted,  or  superfluous,  comes  out  in  perfect  acord  with  its  own 
rule,  and  blinds  us  to  the  eror.  It  is  a  comparison  with  the  rule  of  observa- 
tion, which  is  found  only  in  nature,  that  shows  its  deformity. 


172  THE   PITCH 

direction,  together  with  their  union  into,  various  forms  of  the 
wave.  The  greater  part  of  these  forms,  like  those  of  Vocality, 
Time,  and  Force,  are  employed  in  the  expresion  of  pasion :  and 
only  a  few  for  denoting  simple  thought.  It  is  my  design  to  show 
how  these  diferent  forms  of  pitch  are  used  for  the  several  condi- 
tions and  purposes  of  the  mind. 

Man,  notwithstanding  the  vain-glorious  boast  of  his  moral 
destiny,  his  religion,  and  his  progresive  civilizationj  is  now  as 
he  has  been,  so  generaly,  an  Animal  of  fierce  desires  or  passions, 
and  so  rarely  a  being  of  observation  and  reflectionj  that  we  must 
not  be  surprised  to  find  the  greater  number  of  his  vocal  signs, 
expressive  of  this  ardent  and  predominating  complexion  of  his 
character.  Of  all  these  upward  and  downward  intervals  of  the 
scalej  and  all  the  waves  in  their  direct  and  inverted,  equal  and 
unequal,  single  and  double  forms,  there  is  but  one  which  is  not 
so  employed.  The  simple  rise  and  fall  of  the  second,  with  its 
wave,  when  used  for  narative,  or  for  the  plain  statement  of  an 
unexcited  thotj  is  the  only  intonated  voice  of  man  that  does  not 
spring  from  a  pasionative,  or  in  some  degree,  an  earnest  condition 
of  his  mind.  If  we  listen  to  his  ignorance,  his  fears,  superstition, 
selfishnes,  arogance,  and  injustice,  we  hear  them  under  the  forms 
of  vivid  vocal  expression.  We  have  the  rising  intervals  of  the 
third,  fifth,  and  octave,  for  interogatives,  not  of  kindnes,  but  of 
the  fierce  and  persecuting  Catechists  of  our  life  and  faith ;  the 
downward  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  for  dogmatic,  or  tyranical 
comand ;  waves  for  the  wonder  of  ignorance,  the  snarling  of 
ill-humor,  and  the  curling  voice  of  contempt ;  the  piercing  hight 
of  the  falsete,  for  the  scream  of  terror,  the  brawls  of  intemper- 
ance, and  the  shouts  of  the  fanatic  around  the  stake  of  the 
martyr ;  the  semitone,  for  the  peevish  whine  of  discontent,  and  for 
the  puling  cant  of  the  hypocrite  and  knave,  who  thus  strive  in 
vain  to  conceal  their  crafty  designs.  Then  listen  to  him  on  those 
rare  ocasions,  when  he  forgets  himself  and  his  pasions,  and  has 
to  utcr  a  useful  thot,  or  plainly  to  naratcj  and  you  will  hear  the 
second,  the  unobtrusive  interval  of  the  scale,  in  the  admirable 
adaptation  of  Nature,  made  the  simple  sign  of  the  dispasionatc 
jierception  of  her  wisdom  and  truth.  In  short,  man  as  an  Indi- 
vidual, is  in  his  forms  of  intonation,  only  the  type  of  an  eternal 


J 


OF  THE   VOICE.  173 

National  Character ;  always  prone  to  be  vividly  expresive  of  its 
vain-glory,  and  its  emulative  contempt  of  others ;  emphatic  in 
self-will ;  vociferous  in  cupidity ;  and  unjustly  agresive  in  its 
high-toned  asumptions  and  im2)erative  threats ;  with  the  piercing 
and  prevailing  cry  of  war,  from  within  and  from  without,  and  only 
ocasionaly  resting  in  the  quiet  intonation  of  moral  and  intelectual 
peace,  with  the  Temple  of  the  pasionative  vocal  Janus  shut. 

In  describing  the  radical  and  vanish,  the  simple  interval  of  the 
inexpresive  second  was  represented  ts  an  individual  function, 
under  its  form  of  the  equable  concrete,  on  a  single  tonic  element. 
We  will  consider  in  the  next  section,  its  aplication  to  sucesive 
sylables  and  words,  in  sentences  of  continuous  speech.  This  con- 
tinuous style  or  Drift  of  speech,  formed  by  the  simple  thotive 
second,  cannot  from  the  character  of  that  second,  have  what  we 
call  expresion.  It  may  therefore  seem  that  continuoiLs  speech  in 
the  second,  is  designed  to  be  a  plain  and  colorles  ground,  for  the 
contrasted  display  of  the  vivid  voice  of  wider  or  pasionative  inter- 
vals, aplied  to  ocasional  sylables  in  its  course.  And  here  the 
Reader  may  perceve  one  motive  for  our  proposed  distinction  be- 
tween the  non-expresive,  so  to  c^ll  it,  and  the  expresive  character 
of  the  constituents  of  speech. 

It  was  formerly  stated  that  the  notes  of  the  musical  scale,  under 
a  certain  order  of  sucesion,  constitute  the  melody  of  song;  and 
we  now  have  to  show  in  what  maner  a  sucesion  of  concrete  and 
discrete  intervals  in  the  speaking  scale  constitutes,  under  some 
peculiarity  of  structure,  the  ISIelody  of  Speech. 

Since  I  am  about  to  represent  that  continuous  melody  of  a  second, 
or  tone,  as  the  ground  upon  which  other  intervals,  and  other  con- 
stituents of  speech  are  to  be  distributed,  I  must  beg  the  student  to 
give  his  deliberate  atention  to  the  subject. 

The  sucesion  of  sylables  in  plain  narative  or  descriptive  style, 
being  thru  the  intervals  of  a  concrete  and  discrete  tone,  tlie  melody 
is  specified  as  Diatonic. 


174  THE   DIATONIC 


SECTION  yiii. 


Of  the  Diatonic  Melody  of  Speech  ;  together  with  an  inquiry, 

how  far  the  Musical  terms,  Key  and  Modulation, 

are  aplicable  to  it. 

When  the  radical  and' vanishing  movement  was  described,  it 
was  regarded  individualy  or  as  aplied  to  a  single  sylable.  But  as 
speech  consists  for  the  most  part  of  a  series  of  sylables,  on  each  of 
which  some  form  of  the  concrete  instinctively  ocurs,  it  is  necesary 
to  consider  the  use  and  relationships  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  in 
its  repeated  aplication  to  the  sucesive  sylables  of  discourse. 

In  plain  Narrative  or  Description,  or  as  we  called  it,  Thotive 
discourse,  the  concrete  of  each  sylable  moves  thru  the  interval  of 
a  tone :  and  the  sucesive  concretes  have  a  diference  in  the  place  of 
their  pitch,  relatively  to  each  other.  The  aplication  of  these  con- 
cretes to  sylables,  and  the  maner  of  varying  the  sucesion  of  the 
places  of  their  pitch,  are  exemplified  on  the  folowing  altered 
sentence  of  the  Soothsayer,  in  Antony  and  Cleojiatra. 


He 

reads 

in 

na 

ture's 

in — 

— fi- 

nite 

if 

^ 

«r 

^ 

«r 

d 

V 

-^ 

V 

^ 

w 

book  of  se        ere cy. 


^~d^ 


JL 


If  we  supose  these  lines  and  the  included  spaces  to  denote,  each 
in  proximate  order,  tlie  diference  of  a  tone,  the  sucesion  of  tlie 
several  radicals  with  their  isuing  vanish,  will  show  the  places  of 
the  sylables  of  the  superscribed  words,  in  easy  and  unimpasionetl 
uterancc.  The  percei)tion  of  the  efoct  of  the  concretes,  and  of 
their  sucesions  here  exemplified,  is  caled  the  Melody  of  Speech. 

A  strict  definition  of  the  term,  melody  of  speech,  embraces  the 


MELODY  OP  SPEECH.  175 

modes  of  pitch,  force,  and  time,  together  with  the  pause ;  and 
regards  likewise,  intervals  of  the  saile  wider  than  above  exempli- 
fied, as  well  as  intervals  with  a  downward  movement;  for  all  these 
are  employed  in  the  course  of  melody :  yet  as  each  of  them  con- 
sistently with  their  place  and  purpose,  Mill  be  separately  described 
hereafter,  the  present  section  is  limited  to  the  subject  of  pitch, 
when  the  progresion  is  made  exclusively  through  the  rising  con- 
crete, and  the  rising  and  faling  discrete  interval  of  a  tone  ;  consti- 
tuting the  proper  Diatonic  Melody. 

The  diference  of  pitch  in  this  progresion  is  at  first  to  be  per- 
ceved  only  by  close  observation,  and  by  well-directed  experiment. 
The  pupil  being  able  to  intonate  the  scale,  let  him  practice  the  in- 
terval of  a  second  on  sylabks,  instead  of  on  the  simple  tonic  ele- 
ment ;  using  a  diferent  sylable  for  each  degree.  Thus  prepared,  let 
him  read  the  line  of  the  preceding  diagram,  and  try  to  recognize  its 
intonation  by  slowly  pronouncing,  or  rather  hacJcing-out  only  the 
tonic  element  of  each  sylable ;  and  giving  those  elements  so  short 
and  abrupt  a  sound,  that  the  reading  being  inarticulate  may  re- 
semble the  sucesions  of  a  short  cough.  This  method  will  make 
the  variations  of  pitch  more  distinguishable,  than  when  the  other 
elements  of  the  sylable  are  utered  together  with  the  tonic. 

If  this  contrived  uterance  should  not  aford  a  clear  percej)tion, 
that  the  radical  of  a  given  sylable  rises  or  falls  a  tone,  from  the 
place  of  the  preceding  one,  let  the  pupil  measure  the  questionable 
relation  of  the  two  sounds,  by  the  rule  of  the  scale,  in  the  folow- 
ing  maner.  AV'hile  he  pronounces  the  two  sylables  as  if  he  were 
reading,  let  him  notice  their  pitch,  as  degrees  of  the  scale.  When 
the  second  is  above  the  first,  those  two  sylabic  sounds  will  form  the 
first  two  degrees  of  the  rising  scale ;  and  continuing  to  rLse  by  an 
alternate  use  of  these  sylables,  he  will  complete  that  scale.  When 
the  second  sylable  is  beloio  the  first,  he  will,  on  ading  one  or  more 
sylables  below  the  second,  recognize  the  peculiar  efect  heard  at 
the  close  of  the  scale,  and  on  a  fall  of  the  voice  at  a  period  of 
discourse ;  for  this  last  efect  is  produced  only  by  downward  de- 
grees. In  the  use  of  the  means  here  proposed,  the  ear  must  with 
divided  atcntion,  be  directed,  aparently  at  the  same  time  to  the 
progres  of  the  equable  concrete  in  the  spoken  melody,  and  to  the 
succsion  of  notes  on  the  musical  scale. 


176  THE   DIATONIC 

To  explain  the  system  of  melody,  we  must  consider  the  sucesiou 
of  concretes  both  in  the  course  of  a  sentence,  and  at  its  close. 
These  divisions  may  be  respectively  termed,  the  Curent  melody, 
and  the  melody  of  the  Cadence. 

The  curent  melody,  or  the  sucesion  of  rise  and  fall,  employed 
on  all  the  sylables  of  a  sentence,  except  the  last  three,  may  be  thus 
described. 

In  simple  thotive  or  narative  language,  having  no  expresion, 
every  sylable  consists  of  the  rising  equable-concrete  of  a  tone. 
The  sucesion  of  these  concretes  has  a  variation  of  pitch,  in  which 
the  radicals  of  any  two  never  difer  from  each  other  more  than  the 
interval  of  a  tone. 

To  distinguish  these  two  forms  of  melodial  progresion  by  short 
and  referable  terms,  let  us  call  the  concrete  rise  of  each  sylablej 
the  Concrete  Pitch  of  melody ;  and  the  place  asumed  by  the  radical 
of  each  concrete,  above  or  below  tliat  of  the  precedingj  the  Radi- 
cal Pitch.  In  the  foregoing  notation,  every  one  of  the  sylables 
has  the  concrete  pitch  of  a  tone,  pasing  from  line  to  space,  or  from 
space  to  line.  The  two,  respectively  composing  the  words  nature, 
and  book  of,  difer  a  discrete  tone  from  each  other  in  their  radical 
pitch;  the  radical  pitch  of  the  three  sylables  in  infinite  is  the 
same. 

It  will  be  shown,  in  its  proper  places  the  melody  employed  at 
some  of  the  pauses  in  discourse  requires  a  certain  order  of  radical 
pitch,  for  justly  and  agreeably  denoting  both  its  meaning,  and  the 
diferent  degrees  of  conection  between  its  divisions.  The  parts 
within  the  divisions  made  by  these  pauses,  have  in  general,  no 
fixed  sucesion :  for  the  efect  will  be  both  proper  and  agreeable,  if 
the  melody  of  these  parts  is  made  by  avoiding  a  continuation  of 
the  same  radical  pitch,  or  of  an  alternate  rising  and  faling,  or 
any  other  course  of  too  remarkable  a  regularity.  I  ofer  three 
diferent  notations  of  the  same  sentence ;  where  the  order  of  radical 
pitch  in  each  reading  is  varied ;  the  above  caution  observed  ;  and 
where  the  melody  has  a  simple  construction. 


MELODY  OF  SPEECH.  177 

He     nc vcr        drinks,         but        Ti mon's     sil ver 


^^4     ^     i^   "^  ^   ^  -^-1 


treads         up on       his       lip. 


He      ne ver       drinks,  but         Ti mon's      sil ver 


^ 


Tca 


d  4  ^  ^ 


treads 

\x\i on        his 

lip. 

g' 

'f  d  4 

w 

IP 

^ 

He      ne ver        drinks,         but  Ti mon's     sil ver 


4—4-^ 


treads 

up on 

his 

lip. 

4 

J-        ^ 

^ 

Other  arangements  of  a  proper  and  agreeable  melody  might  be 
made  for  this  sentence,  on  the  principles  of  the  varied  sucesion  of 
radical  pitch  here  exemplified.  But,  however  varied  the  sucesion, 
its  forms  are  all  reducible  to  a  limited  number  of  agregates  of  the 
radical  and  vanish.  These  may  be  caled  tlie  Phrases  of  Melody. 
They  are  shown  in  the  notation  of  the  folowing  lin&s ;  where 
the  curent  is  constructed  in  a  maner  not  unsuitable  to  the  simi)le 
narative  of  the  couplet ;   tho  here,  as  in  some  other  inst;\nccs  of 


178 


THE  DIATONIC 


this  esay,  the  melody  is  designed  to  ihistrate  description,  rather 
than  to  furnish  examples  of  apropriate  elocution. 


That    quar — ter 

most    the 

skil — ful     Greeks     an noy, 

^  d  d 

^  ^ 

4^ 

^  " 

V      w      w 

«r 

Monotone.       Faling  Ditone.   Eising  Tritone.     Rising  Ditone. 
Where  yon  wild      fig    trees  join  the         walls    of      Troy. 


^f-^    j\^  ^  4  ^  I   •^^ 


«r 


Faling  Tritone. 


Alternation. 


Triad  of  the  Cadence. 


When  two  or  more  sylables  as  in  the  above  example,  ocur 
sucesively  on  the  same  place  of  radical  pitch,  it  may  be  caled  the 
j)hrase  of  the  Monotone. 

When  the  radical  pitch  is  a  tone  above  that  of  a  preceding 
sylable,  the  phrase  may  be  termed  the  Rising  Ditone. 

When  the  radical  pitch  is  a  tone  below  that  of  a  preceding 
sylable,  the  Faling  Ditone. 

When  the  radicals  of  three  sylables  sucesively  ascend  a  tone, 
the  Rising  Tritone. 

When  three  radicals  sucesively  descend  a  tone,  the  Faling  Tri- 
tone. 

A  train  of  three  or  more  sylables,  alternately  a  tone  above  and 
below  each  other,  may  be  caled  an  Alternation  or  the  Alternate 
phrase.  This  distinction  may  seem  to  be  unecesary,  as  the  alter- 
nate phrase  is  no  more  than  a  repeated  use  of  the  rising  or  the 
faling  ditone ;  yet  as  it  frequently  ocurs  in  speech,  the  term  Al- 
ternation is  for  brevity  here  asigned  to  this  particular  phrase  of 
melody. 

AVhen  three  sylables  sucesively  descend  in  their  radical  pitch, 
at  the  close  of  a  sentence,  the  phrase  may  be  caled  the  Cadence, 
or  Triad  of  the  Cadence ;  which  always  has  a  faling  vanish  from 
its  lowest  radical.  This  is  indeed,  a  faling  tritone,  but  since  the 
vanish  of  the  lowest  radical  in  the  tritone  of  the  cadence  always 


MELODY  OF  SPEECH.  179 

descends,  as  will  be  shown  presently,  I  have  thot  proper  to  con- 
tradistinguish and  to  specify  it,  as  the  Triad. 

It  is  to  be  remarkal,  that  the  names,  and  construction  of  the 
phrases  of  melody  are  the  same,  when  the  sylabic  vanish  has  the 
doicmcard  course ;  the  movements  of  the  radical  pitch,  especialy 
constituting  the  phrases,  not  being  afected  by  the  direction  of  the 
concrete  pitch. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  resolve  the  melody  of  plain  narative, 
or  thotive  discourse,  into  more  than  these  seven  phrases.  It 
would  seem  to  be  part  of  the  ordination  of  the  diatonic  melody, 
not  to  admit  a  sucesive  rise,  or  a  fall  of  radical  pitch  to  any 
great  extent,  by  proximate  degrees.  It  is  here  limited  to  the  tri- 
tone,  in  both  directions,  because  it  apears  to  mej  a  further  pro- 
gresion,  though  it  may  be  ocasionaly  used,  is  not  agreeable. 
Whether  the  propriety  of  excluding  sucesively  rising  and  faling 
phrases  of  more  than  three  concretes  from  diatonic  or  thotive 
speech,  might  be  grounded  on  the  perceptionj  that  the  efect  of  such 
phrases  somewhat  resembles  the  efect  of  song,  particularly  in 
ascending  the  scale,  whereby  the  semitone  is  traversedj  I  leave  to 
be  determined  by  the  observation  of  others. 

The  three  examples  given  in  a  preceding  page,  of  the  varied 
curent  melody  of  the  same  sentence j  and  the  statement  that  the 
phrases  might  be  even  further  agreeably  diversified,  enable  us 
to  percevej  how  a  speaker,  under  the  direction  of  the  science  of 
melody,  and  with  the  habit  of  aplying  it,  may  readily  avoid  a 
monotonous  continuation  of  the  same  radical  pitch,  and  of  formal 
returns  of  similar  progresions.  For  notwithstanding  the  pitch  is 
necesarily  limited  to  the  change  aforded  by  the  rise  and  the  fall 
of  a  single  tone,  yet  the  diferent  phrases  of  melody,  and  their 
practicable  interchanges,  furnish  varied  sequences  of  dissimilar 
pasages,  quite  suficient  to  prevent  a  recognition  of  identity  in  the 
sucesion.  The  ear  of  a  skilful  speaker j  directed  by  the  unering 
habit  which  science,  in  time  asumes,  will  be  always  on  the  watch, 
against  the  too  frequent  repetition  of  the  same  phrases :  and  the 
variety  in  their  several  forms,  afords  an  easy  exemption  from  this 
cause  of  monotony.  The  principles  that  govern  the  succsions  of 
pitch  in  the  melody  of  speech,  are  similar  to  those  for  the  arange- 
mcnt  of  varied  acent  and  quantity',  in  the  rythmus  of  well  ad- 


180  THE   DIATONIC 

justed  prose.  Excelence  in  each  is  the  work  of  an  educated,  and 
discerning  ear;  and  its  habitual  and  almost  involuntary  perception 
is  not  less  efective  in  one  instancej  by  securing  the  beauties  of  a 
varied  intonation,  than  in  the  otherj  by  rejecting  the  prosodial 
measures  of  acknowledged  verse. 

If  the  foregoing  description  of  the  sucesions  of  pitch  in  plain 
narative  is  corect,  we  may,  upon  strict  etymolog}^,  call  the  sum 
of  those  sucesions  the  Diatonic  Melody  of  speech.  For  in  the 
first  place,  the  vanish  of  each  separate  concrete  rises  thru  the 
space  of  a  tone ;  and  in  the  second,  the  changes  of  radical  pitch 
are  made  thru  the  same  intervals.  We  learn  then,  that  the 
melody  is  made  partly  in  the  concrete,  and  partly  in  the  discrete 
scale.  The  radical  and  vanish  of  each  sylable  is  strictly  concrete ; 
the  transition  from  one  sylable  to  another  is  strictly  discrete. 
The  reader  may  however,  in  the  last  diagram,  merely  notice,  for 
it  is  a  mater  of  no  great  practical  importance^  that  transitions 
of  the  diferent  phrases,  give  a  diferent  extent  to  the  distances 
between  any  one  radical,  and  the  close  of  the  preceding  vanish. 
The  constituents  of  the  rising  ditone  and  tritone  have  appar- 
ently no  discrete  interval  between  them ;  for  where  the  vanish 
closes,  the  suceding  radical  begins.  The  monotone  has  a  discrete 
second.  The  faling  ditone  and  tritone,  when  the  vanish  Hses, 
have  two  discrete  tones,  or  the  interval  of  a  third.  But  these  and 
similar  diferences  produce,  if  we  except  the  instance  of  the  two 
discrete  tones,  no  perceptible  effect  in  the  melody ;  for  in  the  case 
of  the  rising  ditone,  where  the  voices  of  two  sylables  would  seem 
to  joinj  the  full  abruptness  of  the  radical,  makes  a  plain  distinction 
between  itself  and  the  feebleness  of  the  preceding  vanish. 

The  uses  of  the  concrete  and  the  radical  pitch  above  described, 
point  out  two  esential  distinctions  between  the  melody  of  speech 
and  that  of  song.  And  first :  song  gencraly  employs  the  protracted 
radical  or  protracted  vanish,  on  all  its  extended  sylables ;  whei-eas 
speech  always  employs  the  simple  concrete,  or  the  wave.  Second  : 
in  the  diatonic  melody  of  speech,  the  radical  i)itc'h  i)rocedcs  by 
proximate  degrees,  or  changes  of  a  single  tone.  The  melody  of 
song  ])rocedes  variously  both  by  proximate  degrees,  and  by  skips 
of  wider  intervals  of  the  scale. 

In  treating  hereafter,  on  emphasis,  and  on  interogative  sentences, 


MELODY  OF  SPEECH.  181 

the  ocasions  and  maner  of  using  wider  radical  changes  in  speech, 
will  be  sliown.  The  melody  of  simple  narative  or  inexpresive 
speech,  now  before  us,  always  moves  by  proximate  degrees. 

Having  given  the  name  of  Diatonic  jNIelody  to  the  current  in- 
tonation of  the  dispasionate  or  thotive  state  of  mind,  and  having 
learned  that  this  intonation  should  consist  of  a  certain  inexpresive 
or  thotive  vocal  signj  we  may  perceve  the  propriety  of  aplying  the 
name  of  that  melody,  both  to  the  state  and  the  sign.  In  adition 
then  to  the  nomenclature  in  the  sixth  section,  I  shall  employ  the 
term,  diatonic,  as  synonymous  with  that  of  thotivej  for  the  indi- 
vidual state  of  mind,  and  the  individual  vocal  sign ;  and  for  the 
style  or  drift  of  the  same  state,  and  sign. 

We  procede  to  analyze  the  intonation  aplied  to  the  three  final 
sylables  of  a  sentence ;  and  Avhich,  from  its  position  and  peculiar 
purpose,  I  have  contradistinguished  as  the  melody  of  the  Cadence. 

When  the  eight  notes  of  tlie  musical  diatonic  scale  are  utered, 
both  ascending  and  descending,  by  a  repetition  of  the  word  co7'- 
dova,  the  apropriation  of  sylables  will  bej  cor-do-va  cor-do-va 
cor-do ;  and  descending^  cor-do  cor-do-va  cor-do-va.  By  this  sol- 
faing  if  I  may  so  speak,  on  these  sylables,  the  last  repetition  of 
the  word  in  the  descent,  is  alotted  to  the  three  lower  notes  of  the 
scale ;  the  final  sylable  making  a  full  close  on  its  key-note.  In 
this  experiment,  the  intonation  is  suposed  to  be  by  the  protracted 
note  of  song ;  as  it  would  certainly  be  so  made,  by  a  person  fa- 
miliar with  the  scale.  Yet  while  descending,  if  these  last  three 
notes  of  song  be  changed  to  equable  concretes  of  speech,  with  a 
downward  vanish,  the  efect  on  the  ear  will  be  identical  with  that 
of  the  same  word,  properly  utered  at  a  full  period  of  discourse. 
From  this  and  other  trials,  it  may  be  ]«irned,  that  the  cadence  in 
speech,  is  always  made  with  three  sucesively  downward  radicals, 
from  the  line  of  the  curent  melody ;  or  by  other  downward  concrete 
movements  of  the  like  extent. 

The  most  remarkable  effect  of  the  cadence  lies  in  another  point. 
All  the  radical  sounds  of  the  curent  melody  are  represented  in  the 
precefling  diagrams,  as  terminating  in  a  rising  vanish ;  yet  we  shall 
learn  hereafter,  that  the  purposes  of  variety  often  require  the  use 
of  a  downward  concrete.  The  puqjosc  of  tliis  downward  concrete 
in  the  cadence,  is  to  bring  the  curent  to  a  close ;  and  with  this  in- 


182  .  THE  DIATONIC 

tention,  the  last  constituent  or  its  concrete  terminative  is  always 
made  by  the  doAvnward  vanish  of  a  tone,  or  even  a  wider  interval. 
This  descent  of  the  concrete,  here  so  easily  distinguishable  from  its 
rise,  asists  in  producing  the  repose  at  the  end  of  a  sentence ;  and 
constitutes,  in  conection  with  the  series  of  three  descending  radi- 
cals, the  esential  characteristic  of  the  cadence. 

It  was  stated  above,  that  each  sylable  of  the  curent  diatonic 
melody  has  a  concrete  tone  apropriated  to  it.  The  concretes  of  the 
cadence  are  not  always  so  asigned.  Let  us  for  the  sake  of  reference, 
designate  the  constituent  concretes  of  the  cadencej  by  their  numeral 
positions. 

In  the  First  form  of  the  cadence,  the  first,  second,  and  third 
constituent  has  each  a  coresponding  sylable,  with  a  downward 
vanish  on  the  last.  From  the  rising  vanish  on  two  of  its  constit- 
uents, let  us  call  it  the  Rising  Triad. 

Sweet  is  the        breath  of  morn. 


^      ^     W 


The  Second  form  has  a  similar  apropriation  of  concretes  to  syl- 
ables ;  with  a  downward  vanish  on  each  constituent.  Let  this  be 
caled  the  Faling  Triad ;  or,  as  it  denotes  the  most  complete  close, 
the  Full  Cadence. 

The    air    was       faned      by      un — nam — ber'd    plumes. 


A- 


These  first  two  forms  may  also  be  caled  Tripartite. 

In  the  Third,  the  first  and  second  concretesj  or  a  concrete  that 
ocupies  the  conjoined  intervals  of  the  first  and  second;  is  alottcd 
to  a  single  sylable.  From  the  first  and  second  tones  being  here 
set  to  one  sylable,  call  this  the  First  Duad. 


With 

tur et     crest      and    sleek 

en am— el'd 

neck. 

-^— 

^     <f      ^       ^    ^ 

1^     «^     4 

^mf 

Vf                    9  ■ 

0             T 

^ 

MELODY  OF  SPEECH.  183 

In  the  Fourth,  the  second  and  third  coalesce  on  one  sylable. 
This  union  of  the  second  and  third  tones  we  call  the  Second  Duad. 


The 

mean — 

ingi 

not      the 

name, 

I 

call. 

\^4~ 

if 

4- 

4  4 

4 

4 

A 

^9        V 

\ 

In  the  Fifth,  the  three  constituents  are  apropriated  to  one  long 
sylable.  As  this  is  the  least  impresive  form  of  the  close,  we  call 
it  the  Feeble  Cadence. 


No, 

by 

the 

rood 

not 

so. 

A 

4 

^ 

^ 

^ 

• 

T               "         •                V 

In  the  Sixth  form,  which  should  properly  be  called  a  False 
Cadence,  the  second  constituent  is  omited,  as  in  the  folowing 
notation. 

Of        wiles      more      in ex pert     I        boast         not. 


\4     ^    4—4—4_^^..j^L.^ 

1         4 


This  takes  place,  when  the  ultimate  and  penult  sylables  of  a 
sentence  are  each  so  short,  that  giving  to  either,  the  length  of  two 
conjoined  concretes,  would  deform  pronunciation.  It  is  to  be 
avoided,  by  making  the  two  short  sylables,  the  second  and  third, 
of  a  tripartite  form. 

In  this  last  example,  the  cadence  should  be  properly  tripartite 
or  a  sucesive  descent  of  three  tones,  on  the  words,  I  boast  not.  If 
a  reader  by  unskilful  management,  neglects  to  set  the  sylable  boast, 
with  the  radical  pitch  of  a  tone  below  /,  he  will  be  unable  to  com- 
plete the  cadence,  by  a  downward  prolongation  of  the  short  sylable 
not,  thru  the  interval  of  two  tones,  as  shown  in  the  fourth  form  of 
the  cadence.  But  a  full  close  cannot  be  made  without  the  third 
constitucntj  or  an  extension  of  the  second,  by  a  downward  vanish 
into  its  place ;  and  as  the  sylable  not,  on  acount  of  its  short  time, 


184  THE   DIATONIC 

is  incapable  of  this  last  condition,  in  a  deliberate  cadence  the 
second  constituent  must  be  omited,  and  a  defective  or  false  cadence 
made  by  a  skip  to  the  last  interval  of  the  triad. 

From  this  acount  of  the  cadence,  we  have  learned  that  its  con- 
struction is  in  part  directed  by  the  time  of  sylables.  The  tripartite 
forms  may  be  used  under  any  condition  of  quantity ;  should  the 
three,  and  even  the  two  final  sylables  be  short,  and  not  admit  of 
prolongation,  it  is  the  only  one  available.  \Yhen  the  penult  alone 
is  long,  the  first  duad  may  be  used ;  the  second  duad  and  the  feeble 
each  requires  a  long  quantity  in  the  last  sylable. 

Of  the  six  forms  of  the  cadence,  all  except  the  last  give  by 
apropriate  use,  a  satisfactory  and  agreeable  close;  the  first  and 
second,  which  procede  by  an  equal  number  of  concretes  and  syla- 
bles, being  of  the  easiest  execution.  The  third,  fourth,  and  fifth, 
each  conjoining  the  spaces  of  two  and  three  concretes  respectively 
on  a  single  sylable,  require  unusual  facility  in  the  management  of 
Quantity.  Skill  in  comanding  the  time  of  uterance  will  enable  an 
acomplished  reader  to  perform  with  equal  ease  and  elegance,  these 
three  varieties  of  cadence,  and  to  give  a  faultles  close,  however 
unexpectedly  he  may  meet  wdth  a  period  in  discourse ;  whereas 
the  ordinary  reader  frequently  fails  in  the  melody  of  his  cadence, 
from  being  limited  to  the  use  of  the  tripartite.  For  should  his 
curent  melody  be  so  continued,  that  a  monotone  or  rising  ditone 
reaches  to  the  penult  sylable,  the  cadence  will  necesarily  be  awk- 
ward or  falsej  either  from  the  last  sylable  being  short,  or  from  his 
being  unable  to  manage  his  time  and  intonation  on  a  single  long 
one.  The  sixth,  or  last  described  form  of  the  cadence,  ocurs  oca- 
sionally  with  the  mass  of  speakers ;  but  it  is  strictly  forbiden  by 
the  rule  of  a  good  composition  in  melody. 

The  fifth  form  of  the  cadence,  which  is  made  restrictively  upon 
the  last  .sylable,  is  peculiar.  It  apears  that  the  voice  does  pass 
downward  to  the  same  extent  of  pitch,  as  when  the  cadence  is  made 
in  the  tripartite  form ;  yet  by  this  wider  descent  of  the  first  cx)n- 
stituent,  the  radicals  of  the  second  and  third  constituents  are  lost. 
Now  it  is  the  fulncs  of  the  radical  that  draws  the  atention  of  the 
ear  to  the  discrete  changes  of  pitch,  and  conspicuously  marks  the 
descent  of  the  triad  at  the  close.  The  omision  therefore  of  the 
radicals  of  the  second  and  third  concretes,  lesens  the  impressivencs 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  185 

of  this  form,  and  justifies  its  term,  Feeble  Cadence.  When  the 
reader  can  folow  the  notation,  he  will  perceve  a  difcrence  between 
the  efect  of  tlie  full  and  the  feeble  close ;  and  will  admit,  tliat  the 
full  or  faling  triad  with  its  downward  vanishes,  produces  a  more 
satisfactory  condition  of  the  period. 

In  the  diagrams  of  the  cadence,  it  apears,  by  measuring  from 
tlie  radical  of  the  first  constituent,  to  the  extreme  of  the  downward 
vanish  of  the  last,  that  all  the  forms  except  the  fifth,  embrace  the 
interval  of  a  fourth.  And  tho  I  have  marked  this  last  form, 
nominaly  as  a  third,  yet  the  feeble  cadence  may  be  made  by  an 
extension  of  the  concrete,  downward  to  a  fourth  or  fifth.  Nor  do 
1  denvj  the  downward  concrete  of  all  the  constituents  may  not,  on 
ocasion,  reach  beyond  the  tone  here  asigned  to  it.  The  interval 
of  the  third  is  asumed  as  the  characteristic  of  the  feeble  cadence, 
because  it  is  the  smalest  downward  interval  that  has,  in  its  place, 
the  efect  of  a  close;  and  the  efect,  or  so  to  call  it,  the  punctuative 
intonation  of  this  Feeble  cadence  is  such,  that  the  ear  alows  a 
speaker  either  to  pause  after  it,  or  to  procede  in  his  discourse. 

A  proper  construction  of  the  cadence  is  esential  to  the  just 
melotly  of  speech ;  for  having  the  peculiar  character  of  a  close, 
and  ocuring  more  rarely  than  the  other  phrases,  it  does  more  era- 
phaticaly  afect  the  ear ;  and  its  position  at  the  pause,  necesarily 
subjects  it  to  discriminative  atention.  It  must  be  well  known  to 
those  who  have  witnesed  the  eforts  of  children,  that  the  proper 
management  of  a  close  of  the  voice  in  reading  is  acquired  with 
great  dificulty,  and  after  a  length  of  time.  I  have  heard  ofensive 
deviations  from  the  true  rule  of  the  cadence,  by  actors  of  long 
practice  and  considerable  skillj  who  would  have  guarded  their 
utcrance  against  the  alegcd  fault,  if  their  powers  instead  of  being 
exercised  only  in  the  benumbing  school  of  imitation,  had  been 
directed  by  that  freedom  and  energy  which  should  govern  the 
efective  powers  of  speech. 

In  the  first  section  of  this  essay,  the  term  Key  was  defined,  to 
signify  a  certain  arangement  of  the  constituents  of  the  musical 
scale ;  and  we  now  procede  to  inquire  with  what  pro])ricty  the 
term  is  aplied  to  the  melodial  ranges  of  the  spciiking  voice. 

As  a  generic  term  in  music,  Key  designates  the  proper  sucession 
of  tones  and  semitonas  in  the  diatonic  scale.     It  includes  several 
13 


186  THE   DIATOXIC 

species  of  a  similar  order  of  sucesions,  caried  on  from  each  of  the 
several  places  of  the  scale,  as  the  begining  of  those  similar  orders. 
It  was  shownj  there  are  twelve  keys  in  music,  founded  on  the 
semitonic  divisions ;  within  each  of  which,  an  air  or  melody  may 
be  restrictively  performed ;  with  a  regulated  method,  however,  of 
conducting  that  melody,  from  one  to  another,  successively  thru  the 
whole  twelve,  by  what  is  called  Modulation.  An  agreeable  mel- 
ody may  likewise  be  made  upon  a  progresion  of  the  scalej  with 
the  semitones  diferently  placed,  from  those  of  the  progresion,  de- 
scribed in  the  first  section.  The  diatonic  scale  has  two  kinds  of 
sucesion.  In  one  a  semitone  lies  between  the  third  and  fourth 
notes,  and  between  the  seventh  and  octave,  as  formerly  tat ;  con- 
stituting the  kind  of  sucesion  caled  the  Major  scale,  or  Mode.  In 
the  other,  a  semitone  lies  between  the  second  and  third  notes,  and 
the  fifth  and  sixth  in  descending  the  scalej  and  between  the  second 
and  third,  and  the  seventh  and  eighth  in  ascending ;  forming  the 
sucesion  of  the  Minor  Mode.  As  a  diatonic  series  may  be  aranged 
from  twelve  points  of  the  scalej  so  there  may  be  twenty -four  keys ; 
twelve  constructed  in  the  Major  Mode,  and  twelve  in  the  INIinor. 
A  melody  in  music  formed  on  the  latter  mode,  has  a  plaintive 
expresion,  from  the  peculiar  position  of  the  semitones.  The  plain- 
tivenes  of  speech,  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  is  produced  by  an 
entirely  diferent  method  of  intonation. 

The  melody  of  Music,  both  in  the  major  and  in  the  minor  scale, 
is  variously  made  by  progresions  of  skips,  and  of  conjoint  degrees, 
thru  a  series  of  five  tones  and  two  semitones,  in  a  given  key ;  and 
the  song  or  movement  so  constructed  is  terminated  "with  entire 
satisfaction  to  the  ear,  when  brought  to  a  close  on  the  first  point  of 
the  series,  caled  the  key-note. 

The  melody  of  Xarative  or  plain  uninipasioncd  Speech  proccdcs 
by  conjoint  degrees  only  ;  and  its  satisfactory  close  at  a  period  of 
discourse  is  efected  by  a  descent  in  radical  pitch  of  three  conjoint 
degrees,  with  a  downward  concrete  from  the  last.  The  scale  of  the 
speaking  voice  has  no  fixed  place  for  semitones ;  nor  is  it  limited 
like  tliat  of  music,  to  a  peculiar  arangcmcnt  of  seven  constituent 
intervals.  When  a  jierson  can  s])eak  distinctly  thru  a  compass 
of  ten  diatonic  degrees;  included  between  the  lowest  pitch  of  ar- 
ticulate utterance  and  the  highest  point  of  the  natural  voicej  his 


MELODY  OF  SPEECH.  187 

melody  may  by  the  use  of  a  siiceslon  of  proper  conjoint  phrases,  be 
caried  in  the  folowing  manner,  by  any  wandering  course  of  ascent 
and  descent,  within  these  boundaries.  Let  him  take  his  first  syl- 
able  on  the  fii'st  place  of  this  su])oscd  range.  A  ditone  will  raise 
the  melody  to  the  second,  and  an  aditional  concrete  on  that  second 
place,  will  make  the  phrase  of  the  monotone.  From  this,  a  ditone 
will  lead  him  upward  to  the  third  place;  and  in  like  mancr  as- 
cending, the  melody  may  be  caried  to  the  tenth.  From  this 
utmost  elevation,  a  faling  ditone  will  bring  him  to  the  ninth ;  a 
monotone  on  this  will  prepare  the  voice  for  another  ditone  descent 
to  the  eighth.  Having  by  a  similar  progress  reached  the  third 
placcj  the  triad  of  the  cadence,  with  the  downward  concrete  of  its 
final  constituent,  will  close  the  melody  on  the  first. 

In  the  foregoing  description,  the  melody  is  conducted  formaly 
up  and  down,  to  show  the  maner  of  changing  the  pitch,  by  avoid- 
ing more  than  two  directly  sucesive  rising  or  faling  radicals.  But 
the  rising  tritone  may  also  be  used  both  in  ascending  and  descend- 
ing; and  the  progres  varied  by  a  longer  monotone,  and  by  defer- 
ing  the  rise,  or  the  fall,  with  the  use  of  respectively  an  ocasional 
phrase,  of  contrary  movement.  It  is  by  avoiding  an  ascent  and 
descent  of  more  than  three  concretes  in  sucesion,  that  the  desirable 
changes  thru  acutcnes  and  gravity  in  speech,  may  be  efectcd  in  an 
easy  and  agreeable  maner :  for  the  beauty  of  melody  consists,  both 
in  skilfuly  varjang  the  order  of  phrases,  as  they  move  onwardsj 
and  in  correctly  managing  the  rise  and  fall  within  the  whole  com- 
pass of  intonation.  The  following  notation  shows  the  progres 
of  the  voice  within  a  compass  of  nine  diatonic  degrees ;  the  rule  of 
a  gradual  rise  and  fall  being  observed,  and  the  melody  being 
therein  agreeably  diversified. 


If 

thou 

do?t 

slftn — 

flfr 

lior 

and 

tor — turo  T110, 

td-     .- 

'W 

^ 

U 

u- 

^ 

^    -       ¥ 

tf 

¥ 

Ne — vcr 

pray 

more : 

a — ban-don     all 

re niors-i; ; 

1 

-nf—4 

U 

A 

4    4 

^       flT 

— 9 

\ 

^  ^m 

1 

188  THE   DIATOXIC 

On      hor or's       head        hor rors      ac cu mu — late  ; 


1 

^  ^ 

4/ 

^ 

¥ 

-/- 

^       ^      ^ 

-  -w       ^    ■  ■ 

w 

w       V — ^ — 

J 

Do    deeds     to      make      Hea-ven  weep,  all     earth     a mazed 


„_&^ 


For    no-thing 

canst 

thou 

to 

dam- 

— na — tion 

add, 

•f                                                                                                               ' 

'^     ^    ^ 

-r 

flT 

¥ 

w 

-r   ^ 

Great er  than        that. 


.«r_ 


The  above  notation  is  designed  to  exemplify  exclusively,  the 
means  of  pasing  over  the  compas  of  Speech ;  for  tho  the  style  is 
highly  pasionative,  it  may,  like  the  narative,  still  move  upward 
and  downward  by  proximate  degrees.  If  it  were  here  the  place 
to  represent  the  proper  intonation  of  this  forcible  passagej  other 
forms  of  both  the  radical  and  concrete  pitch,  and  of  other  modes 
of  the  voice,  would  be  required.  This  subject  will  be  considered 
hereafter.  At  the  two  colon  pauses,  which  in  corect  reading  will 
not  bear  a  full  close,  I  have  set  the  less  conspicuous  interuption  of 
the  feeble  cadence. 

The  foregoing  acount  of  the  melody  of  music  and  of  speech 
represents  the  forms  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  and  their  melodial 
progrcsions  widely  diferent  from  each  other ;  yet,  as  the  several 
keys  in  music  do  designate  diferent  degrees  of  the  scale,  and  as 
the  efcct  of  the  key-note  does  resemble  that  of  the  cadence  in 
speech,  there  would  seem  to  be  some  similarity  between  them. 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  189 

For  since  a  descent  in  speech,  of  three  degrees  of  the  radical,  with 
a  downward  vani.sh  from  tlie  last,  always  produces  a  cadence,  and 
afects  the  ear  like  the  consumation  of  a  key-note  in  musicj  it 
folows,  that  in  a  voice  with  a  compas  of  ten  diatonic  degrees, 
every  degree,  except  the  uper  two,  may  be  the  place  of  what  we 
will  here,  in  suposing  the  case,  call  a  key-note  of  speech ;  and 
therefore,  by  the  conditions  of  a  key-note  in  music,  that  such  a 
voice  might  be  said  to  have  eight  keys.  But  there  would  be  an 
unavoidable  dificulty  in  this  specification  of  the  keys  of  spoken 
melody.  When  a  musical  melody  is  said  to  be  in  a  particular  key, 
the  term  designates  exactly  the  position  of  its  key-note.  The 
melody  of  speech  cannot  properly  be  refered  to  a  particular  key, 
nor  has  it  a  fixed  place  for  the  key-note ;  as  it  may  be  terminated 
by  a  triad  of  the  cadence,  at  any  degree  of  the  scale.  The  con- 
stituents of  the  monotone  are  the  only  concretes  of  a  melody,  to 
which  a  semblance  of  the  function  of  key  could  be  assigned,  for 
they  would  each  have  the  same  position  in  the  cadencial  close. 
When  a  cadence  is  made  on  any  of  the  other  phrases,  the  triad 
which  descends  to  a  close  from  the  place  of  one  of  its  constituents, 
mast  difer  from  the  triad  descending  from  another. 

Such  being  the  fruitles  atempt  to  designate  the  key  of  a  single 
phrasej  how  much  more  indefinitely  must  a  particular  key  be 
afirmed  of  a  curent  melody  composed  of  a  continualy  varying 
sucesion  of  phrases.  The  true  place  of  key  can  be  afirmed  only 
of  the  first  constituent  of  the  cadence  itself,  because  the  sucesion 
of  its  last  two,  and  the  place  of  its  closing  concrete,  with  regard 
to  the  first,  are  unalterably  fixed.  Yet  even  in  this  case,  the 
technical  and  true  meaning  of  the  term  key  is  no  way  aplicable. 
Looking  on  the  first  constituent  of  the  triad,  as  determining  the 
place  of  key,  when  aplied  to  speechj  a  particular  key  may  be 
apropriated  to  each  degree  of  the  whole  compass,  except  the  lower 
two ;  and  consequently  the  key,  if  it  can  be  so  caled,  of  a  curent 
mekxly  must  jxjrpetualy  change. 

The  peculiar  series  of  tone  and  semitone,  in  the  scales  of  music ; 
the  necesity  for  rules  of  modulation,  to  govern  the  change  from 
one  series  to  another;  together  with  the  purposes  of  Conccrtiiig, 
and  of  Harmonic  composition,  led  to  the  definite  nomenclature 
and  arangement  of  musical  keys.     A  melodial  progresion  exclu- 


190  THE   DIATONIC 

sively  by  whole  tones,  in  the  speaking  scale j  and  the  unacompanied, 
or  strictly  solo-vocal  ofice  of  speech,  do  not  require  the  use  of 
Key :  the  designations  therefore  of  its  range  and  form  of  melody, 
perhaps  call  for  no  nearer  precision  than  that  of  a  clasification  into 
the  uper,  midle,  and  lower  pitch  of  the  voice.  There  is  then  no 
Key  in  Speech. 

From  this  view  of  the  speaking  voice  it  may  be  perceved,  why 
in  the  notation  of  its  melody  I  have  used  only  the  staff  of  the 
musical  tablature,  without  reference  to  its  clefs  or  its  signatures. 
Clefs  are  used  in  music  for  the  purposes  of  Concertingj  by  deter- 
mining with  precision  the  proper  places,  of  pitch,  for  several  voices 
or  instruments,  moving  in  acompaniment.  They  are  therefore 
useles  to  the  singlenes  of  speech.  Nor  does  the  melody  of  Nara- 
tive  require  the  System  of  Key,  or  the  Signature  of  Flats  and 
Sharps,  which  are  necesary  in  the  musical  scale,  from  the  position 
of  its  semitones.  The  naked  lines  and  spaces  of  the  Staff,  de- 
noting the  proximate  succesion  of  a  tone,  aford  the  proper  and 
suficient  means  for  ilustrating  the  intonation  of  narative  or  dia- 
tonic speech. 

The  term  Modulation  is  used  in  music,  to  signify  the  transi- 
tions of  melody,  and  of  harmonic  composition,  from  one  key  to 
another.  A  consideration  of  the  propriety  of  using  this  term  to 
signify  similar  changes  in  the  melody  of  speech,  is  involved  in  the 
question,  of  the  propriety  of  aplying  the  musical  term  key  to  the 
variations  of  pitch  in  the  speaking  voice :  and  we  have  seen  the 
almost  universal  diference  between  the  regular  system  of  keys  in 
music,  and  the  melodial  method  of  speech.  There  is  then,  no 
Modulation  in  the  speaking  voice. 

The  preceding  history  of  the  musical,  and  of  the  speaking  scale, 
is  intended  to  show  the  relationships  between  them :  but  it  apeare 
from  comparison  j  there  is  no  systematic  analogy  to  justify  the 
transfer  of  the  term  keyj  and  that  of  modulation,  which  embraces 
only  the  practical  use  of  kevj  from  music  to  spee<^h.  The  trans- 
fer wiis,  however,  long  ago  made,  and  the  terms  arc  still  continued, 
under  a  totiil  ignorance  of  the  method  of  intonation  in  the  speak- 
ing voice.  AVlion  the  truth  of  the  analysis  sot  forth  in  this  stvtion 
shall  be  admited,  it  will  be  obligatory  on  all  tliose  wlio  derive 
pleasure  or  benefit  from  acuracy  of  knowledge,  to  distinguish  by 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  191 

apropriate  names,  those  phenomena  which  negligence  may  hav^e 
sufereil  to  pass  as  identical.  If  the  musical  terms,  key  and  mcxlu- 
lation,  had  not  receved  an  unmeaning  admision  into  the  nomen- 
clature of  the  speaking  voice,  the  description  of  its  melody  would 
not,  in  these  last  pages,  have  been  complicated  with  a  record  of  the 
waste  work  of  investigation,  which  the  inquirer  is  ready  to  expunge 
and  forget,  when  he  has  discovered  and  declared  the  simple  truth. 
And  had  the  hitherto  untried  subject  of  melody  been  relevcd  from 
the  blinding  consequences  of  that  eroneous  nomenclature,  the  un- 
argued and  unbiased  history  of  its  changes  would  have  been 
briefly  this.  The  diatonic  melody  of  the  speaking  voice  may  be 
led,  ascending  and  descending,  thru  its  whole  compas,  by  a  suces- 
ion  exclusively  of  whole  tones ;  and  may  from  any  point  except 
the  lowest  two,  be  brought  to  a  satisfactory  close,  by  the  descent 
of  three  radicals  thru  conjoint  degrees,  with  a  downward  concrete 
on  the  last. 

If  I  do  not  here  folow  the  prefered  brevity,  nor  omit  the 
details  which  show  the  principles  of  key  and  modulation  to  be 
inaplicable  to  speech;  it  is  that  I  anticipated  a  slow  yielding 
acordance,  from  the  habit  of  an  eroneous  nomenclature ;  and  that 
I  chose  perhaps  advantageously,  to  introduce  into  the  recorded 
investigation,  some  further  or  varied  remarks  on  the  melody  of 
speech. 

In  reviewing  the  subject  just  closed,  I  fear  the  described  phe- 
nomena of  the  voice  may  not  be  immediately  recognized,  nor  the 
system  of  their  combination  at  once  definitely  comprehended.  The 
dificulties  in  this  case  may  procede  not  only  from  the  comon  mental 
slownes  and  indocility  to  newly  ofered  subjects  of  knowledge,  but 
from  the  conected  system  of  such  subjects,  being  dimly  arrayed 
before  the  inquiry  which  was  able  to  discover  their  insulated  truths. 
The  art  of  observation  is  a  mater  of  aprenticeship  and  practice ; 
and  it  is  the  time,  no  less  than  the  maner  of  the  work,  that  con- 
tributes to  the  enduring  excelence  of  a  master.  Thots  not  im- 
presed  by  the  deep  sealing  of  time,  nor  familiarized  by  the  close 
acquaintiince  of  habit,  are  feeble  or  deluding  agents  in  the  arduous 
task  of  comparison  and  arangement;  for  it  will  be  found  that 
the  autlior  who  first  institutes,  or  who  comprehensively  renovates 
a  science,  rarely  adds  the  clearest  economy  of  system  to  his  work. 


192  VOCALITY   OF  THE   VOICE. 

To  look  widely,  yet  closely,  is  the  paradox  of  the  powers  of 
Heaven ;  and  he  who  spans  the  broad  compass  of  a  science,  while 
he  touches  its  divisions  and  points,  is  partially  raised  above  the 
bounded  prospects  and  efforts  of  humanity,  by  this  humble  tend- 
ency towards  Omniscience.  To  him  is  due  that  surpasing  compli- 
ment greatly  conceved  by  the  contemplative  Greek ;  who  knowing 
upon  what  combined  and  exalted  perceptions  to  place  the  crown 
of  intelectual  glory,  declared,  that  he  who  can  Arange  and  Define 
well,  might  be  fit  company  for  the  Gods. 


SECTION   IX. 

Oj  Vocality  of  the  Voice. 

VocALiTY  is  one  of  the  five  Modes  of  speech.  Its  principal 
forms  are  the  Natural,  the  Falsete,  and  the  Orotund  Voices,  to- 
gether with  those  embraced  by  the  comon  nomenclature  of  harsh, 
hoarse,  rough,  smooth,  full,  thin,  meager,  and  tunable.  It  is  as 
it  were,  a  general  material  of  speech ;  and  many  of  its  forms  are 
employed  for  the  purpose  of  expresion. 

Instead  of  the  term,  musical,  comonly  employed  under  this 
head,  I  use  Tunable,  to  signify,  as  formerly  statal,  a  certain  agree- 
able sound  either  in  the  voice,  or  on  instruments.  It  means 
vocality  alone,  and  docs  not,  as  we  emj)loy  it,  regard  the  relation- 
ship of  pitch  or  tune.  The  tunable  is  only  the  smooth  and  the 
clear  in  sound,  distinguished  from  the  roughnes  and  confusion  of 
noise. 

Certain  states  of  mind  arc  instinctively  connected  with  appro- 
priate forms  of  vocality.  The  natural  voice  is  acomodatcd  to 
coloquial  dialogue,  and  familiar  reading.  The  orotund,  to  the 
dignity  of  the  Stage,  and  the  deliberate  language  of  serious  ora- 
tory. The  falsete,  to  the  emphatic  scream  of  terror  and  surprise. 
It  is  not  necasary  to  particularize  here,  the  state  of  mind,  caling 


VOCALITY   OF   THE   VOICE.  193 

resijcctively  for  a  harsh,  full,  rude,  and  courteous  vocality.  The 
history  of  their  specific  apropriation,  in  the  art  of  reading,  may 
be  learnwl  from  books. 

Regarding  these  forms  of  vocality,  as  distributed  among  man- 
kind, some  voices  are  restricted  to  the  harsh,  or  to  the  meager. 
Few  persons  have  from  nature,  a  pure  orotund.  Some  speak 
altogether  in  falsete ;  and  women  are  apt  to  use  it  in  careles  pro- 
nunciation. Most  voices  however,  may  by  diligent  cultivation  be 
improved  in  vocality. 

This  mode  of  the  voice  is  not  to  be  regarded  soley  in  the  »imple 
and  insulated  light,  here  represented.  It  Ls  susceptible  of  com- 
bination with  force,  time,  pitch,  and  abruptnes.  For  some  kinds 
of  vocality  must  necesarily  be  united  with  some  of  the  forms,  de- 
grees, and  varieties  of  the  other  modes.  It  must  be  either  strong 
or  weak ;  its  time  long  or  short ;  its  emision  abrupt  or  gradual ; 
and  it  must  be  of  some  definite  radical  or  concrete  intonation. 
Certain  forms  are  however,  exclusively  congenial  with  particular 
conditions  of  these  other  modes.  Smoothness  will  more  generaly 
afect  the  moderate  degrees  of  force.  The  like  congenialities  may 
be  discovered  by  the  slightest  reflection. 

It  would  be  easy  to  select  from  authors  and  from  familiar  dis- 
course, phrases  or  sentences  requiring  respectively,  the  forms  of 
voice  here  enumerated.  But  I  designed  to  limit  the  pages  of 
this  Work,  consistently  M'ith  the  purpose  of  definite  description ; 
aiming  to  make  known  the  hitherto  unrecorded  phenomena  of 
speech,  rathef  than  add  to  the  present  exces  of  compilation.  No 
diagram  can  represent  the  kinds  of  vocality ;  and  ever}--  atempt 
to  make  them  plainer  than  they  are  under  their  metaphorical 
designation,  would  be  without  succes. 


194  ABRUPTXES   OF   SPEECH. 

SECTION  X. 

Oj  Abruptnes  of  Speech. 

On  the  first  publication  of  this  Work,  I  anticipated  objections 
to  the  clasification  of  Abruptnes,  separately  from  Force.  In  the 
fourth  edition  I  added  this  section^  to  state  some  of  the  grounds 
of  that  arangement.  I  had  not  proceded  twenty  pages,  in  the 
first  desultory  record  of  observations  on  the  voice,  before  the  ful- 
nes  of  the  radical  opening  was  perceved  to  be  a  fact  of  very  gen- 
eral occurence  in  speech.  On  further  observingj  its  cause  was 
traced  to  a  certain  oclusion  of  the  breath ;  and  this  was  found  to 
be  an  important  and  peculiar  agent  in  the  production  of  acent, 
tremor,  and  sylabication.  Finding  it  could  not  be  very  precisely 
classed  under  the  mode  of  Force,  to  which  it  is  partialy  related, 
I  resolved  to  make  it  a  mode  by  itself;  yet  a  mode  with  diferences 
in  degree  only,  not  in  form  ;  and  unlike  every  other  mode,  in  hav- 
ing but  two  positions  in  speech :  one  more  obvious,  at  the  opening 
of  the  radical;  the  other,  less  remarkable  but  equaly  eficacious, 
in  the  v6cule  at  the  end  of  the  subtonic  elements.  It  is  in  the 
first  case,  a  maner  of  enforcing  Force,  not  merely  by  a  higher 
degree  of  that  force,  but  by  another  and  peculiar  mode.  Abrupt- 
nes may  then  be  aded  to  force,  to  render  it  more  emphatic;  just 
as  force  may  be  aded  to  pasionative  intonation,  to  increase  its  ex- 
presion ;  or  as  any  one  mode  of  the  voice  may  be  united  with 
another,  for  an  aditional  or  peculiar  efect ;  making  abruptnes  and 
force,  each  with  the  other,  co-eficient  but  not  identical  causes. 

The  mechanism  and  action  that  produce  this  Abruptnes,  consist 
in  an  oclusion  of  some  vocal  passage,  and  a  forcing  of  the  breatli 
against  that  obstruction,  till  the  voice  isues  witli  a  sudcn  opening 
of  the  oclusion.  It  is  a  momentary  function ;  and  thereby  distin- 
guished from  force,  which  is  esentially  made  on  some  duration  of 
time,  vocality,  or  intonation ;  for  force  to  be  strong  and  momentary, 
must  be  abrupt.  But  further,  abruptnes  may  be  equaly  aplieil  to 
the  initial  of  vocality,  to  make  its  liarslincs  more  shocking ;  of  the 
orotund,  to  make  the  fulnes  of  its  radical  more  impresivc  ;  and  of 


ABRTJPTNES   OF   SPEECH.  195 

pitch,  to  mark  conspicuoasly  its  places  on  the  scale.  It  has  been 
shown,  on  what  ocasions  it  governs  the  construction  of  sylables; 
and  how  by  the  vocule  it  produces  a  fluent  coalescence  of  elements, 
in  continued  discourse.  We  shall  learn  hereafter,  how  it  efects 
clearnes  of  articulation ;  how,  in  its  moderate  degrecj  for  it  is  here 
plainly  contradistinguished  from  imprcsive/orccj  it  is  the  principal 
formative  cause  of  the  tremulous  scale  ;  and  how  it  is  related  to 
the  Shake  of  Song.  The  voice,  without  tliLs  mode,  Avould  want 
one  of  its  striking  characteristics  in  expresion,  and  fail  in  its  im- 
portant uses,  for  emphasis  and  fluent  articulation :  yet  the  full  and 
ready  power  over  this  means  of  energetic  speech  is  posesed  by  fe.w, 
and  is  aquired  only  by  atention,  and  by  strenuous  efort.  When  it 
is  instinctive  with  an  individual,  it  is  the  indication  of  an  excitable 
nervous  and  muscular  system;  and  altho  often  conected  with  a 
quick  and  efective  intelect,  it  is  not  necesarily  nor  always  a  sign 
of  it.  The  explosive  bark  of  the  dog,  and  the  short,  abrupt,  and 
repeated  sylable-like  put  of  the  struting  turkey,  are  as  much  a 
sign  of  mere  animal  anger,  in  one  case,  and  of  what  seems  to  be 
instinctive  vanity,  in  the  other;  as  a  like  abruptnes  would  be,  of 
some  of  the  vulgar  pasions  of  the  ignorant  and  thotles  part  of 
mankind.  I  say,  of  a  sub-animal  unreflective  vanit}^,  for  self- 
enjoyed  vanity  is  exclusively  a  human  vice. 

To  this  explosion  of  the  voice,  which  as  a  peculiar  means  of 
articulation  and  expresion,  has  never  been  systematicaly  recognizedj 
or  has  receved  only  a  transient  and  heedles  noticej  we  have  ocasion 
to  make  continual  reference  in  the  course  of  this  AVork.  Its  most 
remarkable  employment  will  hereafter  be  shown  in  the  full  and 
suden  opening  of  the  radical  movement.  This  opening  abruptnes, 
or  as  we  call  it,  Radical  stress,  will  be  considered  hereafter  under 
the  Mode  of  Force ;  not  as  properly  one  of  its  forms,  but  merely 
to  conect  it  with  two  of  the  other  streses,  Avhich,  tho  wanting 
abruptnes,  are  yet  justly  clased  with  that  forceful  mode. 


196  THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

SECTION  XI. 
Of  the  Time  of  the  Voice. 

Two  of  the  cherished  relationships  of  man  to  man  are  selfishnes 
and  emulation.  Acustomed  therefore  to  regard  himself  in  the 
light  of  personal  importance,  and  of  relative  position,  he  is  prone 
to  look  for  consequence  and  rank  in  natural  things.  But  Nature 
afects  neither  egotism  nor  precedence.  When  the  five  modes  of 
the  voice  are  brot  before  us,  we  have  that  aristocratic  bias  in  human 
curiosity,  to  discover  which  is  the  most  important.  Yet  all  are 
esential  and  equal  in  the  self-satisfied,  and  unjealous  purposes  of 
Creation ;  Avhere  alone,  the  Republican  pretension  does,  and  until 
man  shall  be  as  wise,  and  modest,  and  unenvious  as  Naturej  ever 
can  present  itself.  Considering  vocality,  or  its  occult  Substratum, 
as  notional  metaphysicians  would  call  it,  to  be  the  material  of  the 
voice,  we  see  the  necesity  of  its  universality :  and  we  shall  find 
that  Time,  the  mode  we  are  now  about  to  consider,  is  an  equaly 
pervading  constituent  of  speech. 

The  degrees  in  duration  or  in  the  time  of  the  voice,  are  repre- 
sented indefinitely,  by  the  terms,  long,  short,  quick,  and  slow ;  and 
are  variously  used,  both  for  simple  narative,  and  for  expresion. 

To  be  precisej  let  long  and  short  designate  the  time  of  sylables 
relatively  to  each  other ;  quick  and  slow,  the  uterance  of  any  series 
or  agregate  of  words.  A  sylable  has  a  long  or  short  time,  or  Quan- 
tity, as  it  is  called  in  this  case ;  a  phrase,  an  entire  sentence,  or  a 
continued  curent  of  discourse  is  pronounced  in  quick  or  slow  time. 
The  ocasions  for  employing  these  last  divisions  of  time  are  well 
known.  The  state  of  dignity,  deliberation,  doubt,  and  grief  afect 
a  slow  time ;  that  of  gayety,  anger,  and  eager  argument,  together 
with  parenthetic  phrases,  asume  the  quick  time  in  uterance. 

It  is  necesary  however,  to  be  more  particular  on  the  time  of 
individual  sylables,  comparatively  considered ;  and  to  regard  them 
otherwise  than  under  their  ordinary  prosodial  distinctions. 

The  time  of  sylables  varies  from  the  shortest  utcrabic,  to  their 
utmost  prolongation  in  oratorical  expresion.     To  reduce  this  in- 


THE  TIME   OF  THE   VOICE.  197 

definite  view  to  available  divisions,  for  future  reference,  we  will 
aran{2:e  sylablcs  under  three  clases.  Let  the  First  embrace  those 
restricted  to  the  shortest  quantity:  the  Second,  those  limited  to  a 
quantity-  somewhat  greater  than  that  of  the  first :  the  Third,  those 
of  a  quantity,  varying  from  the  shortest,  to  even  an  indefinite 
prolongation. 

To  the  First  class  belong  many  of  those  sylables  terminated  by 
an  abrupt  element;  and  containing  a  tonic,  or  an  aditional  sub- 
tonic,  or  the  further  adition  of  an  atonic,  such  as  at,  ap,  ek,  hap-\es, 
pit-t\\\\,  ac-cejy-tance.  It  is  not  the  short  quantity  alone  of  a  sylable 
that  gives  the  character  to  this  class ;  for  many,  with  the  construc- 
tion of  the  third  may  be,  and  sometimes  are  in  comon  usage,  equaly 
short.  Those  now  under  consideration  have  this  esential  charac- 
teristicj  they  cannot  be  prolonged,  without  deforming  pronunciation. 
The  word  convict,  when  acented  on  the  fii-st  sylable  as  a  noun,  and 
on  the  last  as  a  verb  has,  in  simple  uterance,  a  certain  quantity 
alotted  to  the  acented  sylable.  If,  for  the  purpose  of  rhetorical 
expresion  on  the  noun,  the  time  of  the  first  is  indefinitely  pro- 
longed, the  identical  character  of  the  word  still  remains,  notwith- 
standing that  extension.  With  a  similar  time  on  the  last  sylable 
of  the  verb,  to  convict,  its  drawling  pronunciation  is  remarkable. 
The  sylables  asigned  to  this  first  class,  not  admiting  an  alteration 
in  quantity,  may  be  caled  Immutable.  I  shall  hereafter  show 
their  relations  to  the  movements  of  pitch,  and  to  the  functions  of 
acent  and  emphasis. 

To  the  Second  class  belong  most  of  those  sylables  terminated 
by  an  abrupt  element,  and  containing  one  or  more  subtonics  or 
atonies,  with  a  short  tonic.  The  subtonic  in  this  case  alows  an 
aditional  time,  greater  than  that  of  sylables  in  the  preceding  class; 
still  the  abrupt  element  and  the  short  tonic  limit  even  this  mod- 
erate extension.  Of  this  class  are  yet,  what.  Up,  grat-\i\xi\c,  des- 
<ruc-tion.  In  these  instances  the  sylablcs  are  longer  than  those 
of  the  imutable  class ;  and  for  the  purpose  of  expresion,  the  sub- 
tonics  may  be  slightly  extended  beyond  their  length,  in  simple 
uterance.  With  undue  prolongation,  however,  they  have  the  like 
ofensive  drawl  and  deformity  perccved  in  the  forced  extension  of 
the  imutable  class.  As  those  included  under  the  present  head  admit 
of  a  slight  change  in  quantity,  they  may  be  called  Mutablr  sylables. 


198  THE  TIME   OF  THE   VOICE. 

To  the  Third  class  belong  all  those  sylables  terminated  by  a 
tonic  element,  or  a  subtonic,  except  h,  d,  and  g.  Of  this  kind  are 
go,  thee,  for,  day,  man,  de-lay,  he-guile,  ex-treme,  c«rc-less,  and 
ve-volve.  If  the  speaker  can  give  full  audibility  to  the  esential 
gutural  murmur  of  the  subtonics,  h,  d,  and  g,  their  position,  at 
the  end  of  a  sylable,  aloAvs  a  limited  prolongation,  without  ob- 
scuring the  character  of  the  sylable :  as  in  the  words  deed,  plague, 
babe,  res-tored.  But  the  efect  in  these  cases,  is  by  no  means  to  be 
comj)ared  with  that  of  an  extension  of  time  upon  other  subtonics, 
and  on  tonics.  In  the  above  pure  examples  of  this  class,  the 
quantity  may  be  prolonged,  without  the  disagreeable  efect,  pro- 
duced by  an  increase  of  time,  under  the  preceding  clases.  It  is 
the  peculiar  character  of  these  sylables,  that  they  preserve  their 
identical  sylabic  sound,  under  every  degree  of  prolongation ; 
whereas  the  imutable  and  mutable,  in  some  cases  can  scarcely  be 
recognized  when  forcibly  extended.  From  their  alowable  variety, 
the  sylables  of  this  class  may  be  said  to  have  an  indefinite  quantity ; 
and  may  be  called  Indefinite  sylables.  They  furnish  important 
means  for  the  expresion  of  speech ;  some  of  its  most  pasionative 
forms,  being  made  on  sylables,  with  this  power  of  indefinite  pro- 
longation. 

The  Reader  is  to  receve  the  foregoing  clasification,  as  one 
adapted  to  our  view  of  the  expresive  uses  of  time.  The  investi- 
gation of  the  causes  of  expresion,  soon  showed  the  importance  of 
other  distinctions  of  quantity,  than  those  of  long  and  short ;  which, 
after  a  thousand  years  and  more,  of  pretending  observation,  we 
continue  to  transcribe  from  the  meager  record  of  Greek  and  Latin 
prosody.  The  phenomena  of  expresion  first  directed  the  division 
here  made ;  and  however  it  may  be  otherwise  aplial,  it  will  be 
necesary  for  the  ready  explanation  of  future  parts  of  this  essay. 
Whatever  may  be  thot  of  its  suficiency,  I  must  still  belevej 
it  is  high-time  for  the  supcranuated  sages  of  clasical  literature, 
to  turn-aside  the  old  grammatical  ear,  in  their  prosodial  researches ; 
and  try  if  some  modern  vocal  analysis,  may  not  efect  upon  them, 
one  of  those  renovations  of  sense,  which  it  is  said,  have  now  and 
then  resuscitated  the  tor}>id  j^erceptions  of  extreme  longevity. 

The  power  of  giving  indefinite  prolongation  to  sylables,  is  not 
comonly  posesed  by  si)eakers.     It  is  truej  the  daily  use  of  the 


THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE.  199 

voice  frequently  calls  for  extended  quantity ;  but  daily  discourse 
is  often  simple  narative,  or  if  directed  by  an  excited  state  of 
mind,  is  that  of  active  argument,  or  of  contending  interests,  Avhich 
employ  for  the  most  part,  the  short  time  of  sylables  and  the  rapid 
course  of  uterance.  Still,  the  asertion  that  a  long  quantity  is  not 
easily  practicable,  may  seem  to  be  questionable :  since  persons  M-ho 
sing  can  readily  extend  their  time  to  an  indefinite  length ;  and  all 
uter  cries  in  the  same  maner.  But  these  voices  are  generaly  made 
on  protracted  notes ;  the  dificulty  to  which  we  here  alude,  is  in 
the  execution  of  the  equable  concrete  of  speech.  We  have  shown 
that  diferent  forms  of  the  radical  and  vanish  are  respectively  em- 
ployed in  speech,  and  song.  Without  atention  to  the  use  of  these 
forms,  it  is  not  always  easy  to  restrict  them  to  their  apropriate 
places.  A  reader  who  has  not  by  practice,  a  facility  in  executing 
the  long  quantities  of  speech,  will  be  liable,  in  extending  his  syla- 
bles, to  fall  into  the  protracted  radical  or  protracted  vanish  of 
song.  On  the  other  hand,  when  persons  without  a  musical  ear  and 
a  singing- voice,  imperfectly  remember  and  endeavor  to  imitate,  the 
melodial  succesions  of  song,  they  are  apt  to  change  many  of  its 
notes,  into  the  equable  concrete  of  speech.  Prolonged  cries,  and 
interjections  which  are  only  more  moderate  cries,  are  always  made 
either  by  the  protracted  notes  of  song,  or  by  movements  over  the 
wider  intervals  and  their  waves ;  and  tho  these  intervals  and  Avaves 
are  both  proper  to  speech,  yet  the  prolonged  cry  and  interjection 
are  the  forced  efect  of  ocasional  pasion ;  and  this  not  often  ocurring 
in  ordinary  uterance,  the  cause  is  not  continued,  and  the  vocal 
practice  not  confirmed. 

The  foregoing  notice  of  the  exclusion  of  the  peculiar  intonations 
of  song  from  speech,  furnishes  one  cause  why  persons  of  great 
accomplishment  as  singers,  are  nevertheles  indiferent  readers  or 
comonplaco  actors.  Other  causes  will  hereafter  be  asigned  for  the 
general  want  of  interchangeable  facility  in  the  exercise  of  the  arts 
of  song,  and  speech.  That  arising  from  the  different  stnictures 
of  the  radical  and  vanish  in  the  two  cases,  is  not  the  least  influen- 
tial. The  endowed  singer  may  have  at  comand  all  the  means  of 
expresion,  employed  in  song:  but  these  means,  as  we  shall  learn, 
are  peculiar  to  song,  and  are  not  transferable  to  speech ;  and  while 
he  is  able  to  clothe  every  feeling  of  the  Composer,  with  the  nielo- 


200  THE  TIME   OF   THE  VOICE. 

dious  sucesion  of  his  long-drawn  notes,  his  disqualified  atempts  at 
speaking  intonation,  strip  off  or  tear  to  pieces,  every  expresion,  to 
be  spread  by  the  equable  concrete,  over  the  language  of  the  Poet. 

To  return  from  this  acount  of  diferent  forms  of  the  concrete,  to 
the  consideration  of  the  uses  of  its  varied  quantity.  An  immu- 
table, mutable,  and  indefinite  time,  has  each  its  apropriate  manner 
of  fulfiling  the  purposes  of  expresion.  It  is  however,  upon  in- 
definite sylables  that  the  most  graceful  and  dignified  effect  of  into- 
nation is  acomplished ;  as  we  shall  learn  in  future  parts  of  this 
essay.  Readers  who  are  ignorant  of  the  principles  of  quantity, 
do  yet  perceve  the  necesity  of  a  deliberate  movement,  for  a  grave 
and  admirative  expresion.  They  therefore,  endeavor  to  suply  the 
want  of  a  long  sylabic  time,  by  slight  pauses  after  words,  and  even 
between  sylables.  Propriety  and  taste  however,  alow  here  no 
compensation :  they  require  most  of  the  prolonged  time  in  digni- 
fied uterance,  to  be  spent  on  the  sylable  itself,  and  reject  the  other 
means,  as  ofensive  monotony  or  afectation. 

Eminent  mstances  of  the  esential  importance  of  long  quantity 
may  be  shown,  by  considering  the  sylabic  construction  of  sentences 
with  reference  to  expression :  for  as  the  vocal  signs  of  certain 
states  of  mind  require  the  prolonged  time  of  indefinite  sylablesj  it 
may  hapen  that  such  states  are  to  be  expresed  on  the  limited  dura- 
tion of  a  mutable,  or  the  mere  moment  of  an  imutable  time.  This 
may  be  ilustrated  by  a  pasage  from  the  fourth  book  of  Paradise 
Lost,  where  Satan  is  brought  before  Grabriel.  In  the  dialogue 
between  them,  one  of  the  replications  of  Satan  is  as  folows. 

Not  that  I  less  'endure,'  or  shrink  from  pain, 
In-swZ^-ing  angel !  well  thou  know'st  I  stood 
Thy  /ferc-est,  when  in  batle  to  thy  aid, 
The  blasting  volied  thunder  made  all  speed. 
And  seconded  thy  else  not  dread-Qdi  spear. 
But  still  thy  words  at  random,  as  before. 
Argue  thy  inexperience  what  behoves 
From  hard  assays  and  ill  succcses  past 
A  faithful  leader,  not  to  hazard  'all' 
Thru  waj's  of  danger  by  himself  untried: 
'I,'  therefore,  '  I'  '  alone'  first  undertook 
To  wing  the  desolate  abys,  and  spy 
This  new  created  world,  whereof  in  Hell 
Fame  is  not  silent,  here  in  hope  to  find 


THE  TIME   OF  THE   VOICE.  201 

Bcter  abode,  and  my  aflictod  powers 

To  setle  here  on  earth,  or  in  mid  nir; 

Tho  for  posession  put  to  try  once  more 

"What  thou  and  thy  gay  legions  'dare'  against: 

Whoso  easier  busincs  were  to  '  serve  '  their  '  Lord  ' 

High  up  in  Heaven,  with  songs  to  hymn  his  throne, 

And  practis'd  distances  to  '  cringe,'  not  fght. 

The  language  of  this  extract  variously  embraces  argument, 
narative,  and  pasion.  We  here  refer  to  the  last.  I  have  marked 
in  italics,  some  of  the  sylables  representing  that  state,  but  which 
are  incapable  of  prolongation.  The  sylables,  less,  shrink,  suit, 
fierce^  else,  and  dread,  belong  to  our  class  of  mutables,  yet  they 
cannot  l)e  extended,  without  making  in  the  several  cases,  the  pro- 
longed radical  on  /,  e,  and  r;  and  this  would  change  pronunciation 
to  a  drawl.  We  supose  less,  taken  with  endure,  to  embrace  the 
mental  conditions  of  sufering  and  resignation^  shrink,  those  of 
taunt  and  exultationj  suit,  those  of  complaint,  pride  and  roproachj 
fierce,  that  of  scornful  defiance^  else,  a  contingency  of  self-confi- 
dence and  contempt^  and  dread,  when  interpreted  by  the  preceding 
exceptive,  else,  a  similar  contingency  of  self-relying  courage.  The 
expresion  of  all  these  states,  as  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  calls  for 
a  prolonged  quantity',  on  the  wider  intervals  of  pitch,  and  on  the 
wave ;  which  the  shortnes  of  the  elemental  sounds,  in  tlie  above 
emphatic  sylables,  does  not  alow.  The  emphasis  of  stress  might 
indeed  be  laid  upon  them,  but  this  would  not  expres  their  pur- 
pose. The  last  line  however,  afords  a  more  marked  ilustration  of 
the  subject  before  us :  for  of  the  words  not  fight,  the  former  is  only^ 
mutable ;  and  the  latter  being  strictly  imutable,  they  cannot  b& 
extended,  without  a  disagreeable  departure  from  corect  pronuncia- 
tion. Tiiis  i>lirase  representing  a  mental  state  of  strong  contempt 
and  exultation,  its  expresive  intonation  should  be  made  upon  in- 
definite sylables.  A  reader  of  delicate  perception  can  never  satisfy 
his  ear  on  these  restrictetl  quantities.  J  have  thruout  tiie  extract, 
marked  with  inverted  commas,  a  few  words,  embracing  states  of 
mind  that  (tdl  for  wide  intervals  on  an  extended  time ;  and  these 
words  by  their  power  of  intlefinite  prolongation  alow  the  required 
expresion. 

I  add  here  another  exem])lification  of  this  subject,  from  the  gen- 
eric, brief,  and  magnificent  description  of  Satan's  Imperial  Presence 
U 


202  THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

in  Pandemonium,  at  the  opening  of  the  second  book  of  Paradise 

Lost. 

High  on  a  throne  of  royal  state,  which  far 
Outshone  the  wealth  of  Ormus  and  of  Ind, 
Or,  where  the  gorgeous  East  with  richest  hand 
Showers  on  her  Kings  barbaric  pearl  and  gold, 
Satan  exalted  sat. 

In  these  lines,  Milton,  with  a  just  instinct  of  versification,  has 
employed  long  quantities,  in  hapy  adaptation  to  the  admirative 
dignity  of  the  description. 

I  use  here,  rather  remarkably,  the  term,  instinct  of  versification, 
not  in  oversight  of  the  inteligence  with  which  this  Extraordinary 
Man  executed  every  high  design  and  every  tittle  of  his  work ;  but 
because  it  is  clearly  seen  he  did  not  intend  to  construct  the  measure 
of  his  poem  by  the  rules  of  quantity  alone.  •  The  development  of 
the  full  resources  of  an  acentual  versification  by  Milton,  was  a 
new  and  absorbing  labor.  Had  this  advance-step  preceded  him, 
the  originality  and  restles  enterprise  of  his  intelect,  would  most 
probably  have  aded  to  the  many  available  principles  of  Greek  and 
Roman  composition,  so  hapily  transfered  to  his  own  language^  the 
acomplishment  of  the  suposed  imposibility  of  adopting  the  rules 
of  their  prosody.  In  most  of  the  words  of  the  above  example, 
where  the  majesty  of  his  th5t  so  secured  the  homage  of  quantit}^, 
some  of  the  sylables  sudenly  arest  the  perception  of  extended 
movement  and  deliberate  dignity,  produced  by  the  indefinite  time 
of  those  words.  The  sylables,  state,  rich,  and  sat,  are  too  short 
for  the  otherwise  good  iambic  temporal  measure :  and  the  word 
barbaric  occasions  some  iregular  contrariety  in  the  impresions  of 
quantity  and  acent.  In  the  simple  pronunciation  of  this  word, 
the  first  sylable,  bar,  is  somewhat  longer  tlian  the  second,  which 
will  not,  in  this  case,  bear  unusual  extension.  And  as  the  longer 
sylable  is  here  in  the  place  of  the  weak  sylable  of  iambic  acent, 
the  impresivenes  of  exceding  length  reverses  the  sucesion  of  the 
prevailing  measure.  Nor  does  the  simple  meaning  of  the  epi- 
thet barbaric,  alow  a  suficient  degree  of  acentual  strcs  on  the 
second  sylable,  to  overrule  the  impresivenes  of  greater  length  in 
the  first.  If  the  Reader,  excusing  the  rhetorical  change,  will 
substitute  the  adjective  orient,  for  barbaric,  he  will  perceve  by 


THE  TIME  OF  THE   VOICE.  203 

comparison,  the  diference  between  the  acentual  and  the  temporal 
imprcsion. 

Showers  6n   |  her  kings   |  hgr  6r  |  i^nt  pearl   |  and  g6ld. 

Mlietlier  the  first  and  the  fourth  section  of  this  line  are  con- 
sidered respectively  in  order,  a  trochee  and  an  iambus,  as  here 
marked,  or  as  a  dactyl  and  an  anapest,  as  they  may  be  read,  by 
license  in  our  iambic  measure^  the  admisible  prolongation  of  the 
indefinite  sylable  o;*-e,  produces  an  admirative  dignity  of  uterance 
that  cannot  be  efected  on  the  short  time  of  the  acented  sylable  of 
barbaric.  And  it  may  be  aded  further,  that  this  line  does  fulfil 
the  conditions  of  poetic  quantity,  as  completely  as  any  line  ever 
constructed  with  Greek  or  Roman  words.* 

To  a  bad  reader,  nearly  all  sentences  are  alike,  however  im- 
properly constructed  for  vocal  expression.  He  who  looks  abroad 
for  excelence,  thru  all  the  ways  of  the  voice,  must  often  find  the 
tendencies  and  demands  of  his  uterance  restricted,  by  the  unyield- 
ing character  of  an  imutable  phraseology.  A  limited  discernment, 
and  the  comon  uses  of  quantity  often  sufice  to  set  forth  the  thots 
of  an  author ;  but  an  admirative  or  a  pasionative  expresion  will 
in  many  cases  be  imperfect,  or  lost,  if  tried  on  the  imutable  time  of 
sylables.  A  reader  who  can  asume  the  mental  state  of  the  poet,  will 
not  be  able  to  give  the  prompted  expresion  to  part  of  the  last  line 
of  the  folowing  example.  It  is  taken  from  Gabriel's  answer  to 
Satan's  apology  for  his  flight  from  Hell,  just  quoted,  and  is  a  coment 
on  the  title  of  faithful  leader,  vaunted  by  Satan. 

*  If  the  Reader  would  know  how  certain  words  may  be  pronounced  as  a 
foot  or  prosodiul  section,  either  of  two  or  of  three  sylables,  let  him  recur  to 
our  principles  of  sylabication.  The  word  showers  is  one  sylable,  wlien  the  e 
is  omitted ;  the  dipthongal  tonic  oii,  vanishing  directly  into  the  subtonic  r,  as 
in  s/iotors.  If  the  sound  of  c  is  retained,  that  element  requires  its  radical  and 
vanish,  and  the  word  becomes  thereb}'  of  two  sylables,  as  in  s/ioiv-ers.  The 
trisylable  orient,  is  reduced  to  a  disylable,  by  withholding  a  radical  from  the 
sound  represented  by  t,  and  thereby  droping  that  sound  as  a  distinct  sylable. 
In  the  trisylable,  i  represents  the  sound  of  ec-1,  and  ec-\  by  readily  changing 
into  the  subtonic  y-e,  coalesces  with  the  suceding  tonic  e-nd  ;  thus  y  taking 
the  place  of  ce-1,  joins  itself  to  the  subtonic  n,  to  form  the  contracted  sylable 
yent.  The  word  orient,  in  corect  pronunciation,  is  a  true  dactyl  in  quantity. 
I  have  set  it  as  an  iambus,  not  intending  to  defend  the  propriety  of  tlie  change, 
but  to  form  thereby,  a  regular  iambic  line,  and  to  ilustrate  one  of  the  princi- 
jiles  of  Englisii  pronunciation. 


204  THE  TIME  OF  THE  VOICE. 

O  name, 
O  sacred  name  of  faithfulnes  profan'd  I 
Faithful  to  whom  ?  to  thy  rebelious  crew  ? 
Army  of  Fiends,  Jit  body  to  Jit  head. 

The  six  s}- lables  of  this  last  phrase  are  short,  and  all  the  em- 
phatic ones  are  imutable.  They  contain  a  degree  of  admiration 
at  the  well  marked  felowship,  bet^veen  a  ringleader  and  his  creM^, 
ming-led  with  scorn  at  the  wicked  faithfulnes  of  the  rebelious  out- 
cast :  and  these  states  of  mind,  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  cannot  be 
eminently  shown  on  the  abrupt  shortnes  of  the  sylabic  time  here 
employed.  With  an  acomplished  sj^eaker,  the  management  of 
this  phrase  would  resemble  the  efforts  of  a  musician  of  feeling  and 
skill,  on  a  limited  instrument ;  and  the  diferent  efect  of  his  voice, 
on  the  above  short  sylables,  and  on  indefinite  quantities  embracing 
the  same  states,  would  be  like  that  of  the  inexpresive  chatering 
of  the  harp  or  piano-forte,  compared  with  the  gliding  resources 
and  swayful  concrete  of  intonation,  from  an  Andante  movement 
on  the  violoncelo.  The  harsh  and  unyielding  character  of  the 
short  sylables  in  the  above  example,  would  be  striking  to  a  good 
reader,  by  its  contrast  with  the  preceding  phraseology ;  in  which, 
the  two  interjectives,  the  words  name,  profaned,  whom,  thy,  crav, 
army,  Jiends,  and  perhaps  faith/itZj  being  all  of  indefinite  time, 
and  some  of  them  emphatic^  aford  the  most  ample  means,  for  a 
true  and  elegant  intonation  of  the  admirative  and  partly  pasion- 
ative  states  of  mind  they  convey. 

Although  abrupt  and  atonic  elements  produce  many  instances 
of  short  sylabic  construction,  that  do  not  admit  the  extended  forms 
of  intonated  expresionj  yet  most  sentences  contain  the  amount  of 
prolongable  sylables,  which  the  state  of  mind  may  require.  For 
it  is  not  necesary,  that  every  word  should  bear  the  full  expresion, 
conveyed  by  an  extended  intonation.  One  or  two  emphatic  long- 
quantities,  assisted  by  an  accordant,  even  if  faint  intonation,  on 
the  short  and  unemphatic  sylablesj  in  a  maner  to  be  described 
hercafterj  will  suficiently  convey  the  thot  and  pasion  embraced  by 
the  sentence.  The  indefinite  sylable  par  in  the  folowing  line  has 
a  variable  quantity,  which,  without  impropriety,  may  be  doubled 
or  more,  in  expresive  uterancc ;  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
bleed. 


THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE.  205 

Pardon  me  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth, 

That  I  am  meek  and  gentle  with  these  butchers. 

Tlie  circumstances  of  the  scene  in  Julius  Cccsnr,  from  which 
this  is  taken,  inform  us  tJiat  Marie  Antony's  mental  states,  ex- 
presed  in  the  first  Ime,  are  those  of  love,  grief,  and  wmtrition ; 
his  revenge  does  not  apear  until  the  second.  The  former,  it  will 
be  shown  hereafter,  call  particularly  for  an  extension  of  sylabic 
time  ;  and  we  here  regard  the  words  jxirdou  and  bleeding  as  em- 
phatic, since  they  respectively  picture  tlie  special  object  of  the 
8upliant,  and  the  disastrous  asasination,  that  with  self-reproach,  he 
had  delayed  to  punish.  The  acented  sylables  of  these  words  freely 
receve  the  temporal  prolongation ;  and  the  employment  of  the 
required  expresion  on  their  indefinite  quantity,  togetlier  witJi  the 
asistance  of  a  slight  prolongation  on  the  short  and  unaccented 
sylables,  directs  the  stream  of  that  expresion  every  where  thruout 
the  line. 

In  the  preceding  ilustrations,  the  Reader  may  now  perceve  some 
ground  for  our  arangement  of  sylables,  acording  to  their  time,  and 
in  reference  to  the  subject  of  expresive  intonation ;  and  may  there- 
upon, admit  the  usefulnas  of  its  nomenclature,  for  the  purpascs  of 
criticism  and  instruction.  Yet  there  is  another  view  to  be  taken 
of  the  efects  of  sylabic  quantity.  From  the  limited  resources, 
and  tlie  necesarily  generic  character  of  language,  the  same  word 
may  in  diferent  sentences  have  a  variation,  so  to  speak,  in  its 
thotive  meaning.  It  is  still  more  comon  to  find  the  same  word 
w'ith  a  diferent  reverentive  or  pasionative  expresion,  in  its  change- 
able combinations  with  other  words.  Some  states  of  mind  being 
only  properly  represented  by  a  short  and  abrupt  uterance;  it 
folows  that  the  shortnes  of  a  word  or  sylable,  which  on  one  oca- 
sion  cannot  denote  the  state  of  mind  that  requires  a  prolonged 
intonationj  may  on  another,  fulfil  the  purpose  of  forceful  expres- 
ion with  its  i mutable  quantity.  It  was  shown  in  a  former  ex- 
ample, that  the  word  fight  was  incapable  of  the  extension,  there 
neccsary  for  the  full  display  of  scorn.  When  Hamlet  in  the 
violent  scene  with  Laertes  saysj 

Why,  I  wiUJif/hi  with  him  upon  this  theme, 
Until  ni}'  eyelids  will  no  lunger  wagj 


206  THE  TIME  OF  THE   VOICE. 

the  quick  time  of  the  whole  sentence,  is  generically  inclusive  of  the 
short  time  of  its  constituent  sylables ;  and  the  imutable  quantity 
of  the  word  fight,  admiting  of  abruptnes  and  force,  may  fuly 
denote  the  resolute  rage  of  the  Prince. 

The  mterjection  is  the  only  Part  of  Speech,  employed  exclu- 
sively for  expresion.  Those  comon  to  all  languages,  consist  of 
tonics,  that  freely  admit  of  indefinite  prolongation.  Interjections 
are  the  instincts  of  the  animal  voice ;  and  universaly  have  an  ex- 
tendible quantity  required  for  pasionative  expresion.  Other  parts 
of  speech  are  sometimes  the  picture  of  thot,  and  sometimes  of 
pasion ;  and  acomodated  to  this,  there  is  a  diference  in  the  time  of 
sylables.  Had  words  been  invented  as  signs  of  inter)  ective  ex- 
presion only,  most  of  them  would  have  been  made  Avith  an  ex- 
tended voice.  Yet  as  the  tonic  elements  may  be  utered  either  as 
long  or  as  short  quantities,  and  the  abrupt  and  atonic,  in  certain 
positions,  inconveniently  produce  a  short  quantity,  it  might  be 
infered,  that  a  language  consisting  entirely  of  tonic  sounds,  man- 
ageable both  for  longer  and  for  shorter  time,  would  beter  fulfil  all 
the  purposes  of  speech,  than  a  language  containing  in  part,  ele- 
ments of  imutable  quantity.  But  some  states  of  mind  are  well 
represented  by  a  short  quantity,  and  a  suden  isue  of  voice ;  and 
the  abrupt  elements  are  in  certain  positions,  the  best  contrived 
means  for  producing  that  sudennes  with  the  greatest  variety  and 
force.*  And  further,  the  atonies,  with  the  exception  of  k,  p,  and 
tj  tho  not  properly  explosive,  yet  arest  the  concrete  progres  of  vo- 
cality,  and  alow  a  suceding  tonic  readily  to  take  on  the  explosive 
opening.  A  language  made  up  of  sounds,  having  the  varied 
character  of  our  tonic,  subtonic,  atonic,  and  abrupt  elements,  is 
therefore  well  accomodated  to  the  system  of  those  expresive  signs, 
ordained  thruout  all  vocal  creation. f 

*  Those  who  delight  in  searching  for  undiscoverable  things,  may  institute 
an  inquiry^  whether  the  abrupt  elements  derive  their  existence  in  speech, 
from  the  suden  uterance  which  anger  and  other  animal  pasions  instinctively 
asumed,  at  that  nonenity  of  date,  the  origin  of  language.  The  only  origin 
of  language  we  know,  is  that  of  a  new  term,  invented  for  a  new  thOt,  or  for 
an  unamed  physical  fact. 

f  This  remark  will  scarcely  be  aceptablc,  to  those  who  have  always  thotj 
the  greater  the  proportion  of  vowels  to  other  elements,  the  greater  tho  har- 
mony, as  it  is  calod,  of  a  language.     And  hence  the  sneer  of  Grecian  scholar- 


THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE.  207 

The  employment  of  prolonged  time,  in  the  emphatic  places  of 
discourse,  with  a  view  to  expresive  intonation,  seems  never  to  have 
been  thot  of  by  ordinary  writers  ;  and  has  been  so  far  overlooked 
in  the  schools,  that  it  has  never  receved  formal  notice  either  in 
Rhetoric  or  Elocution.  Dramatists,  to  whose  taste  and  duty  this  re- 
mark is  espccialy  applicable,  frequently  neglect  that  proper  adapta- 
tion of  time  and  acent,  which  would  aford  an  Actor  the  means  of 
ading  the  finishing  touches  of  his  voice,  to  the  vivid  and  forcible 
picture  of  thot  and  pasion :  for  a  rythmic  style  is  more  easily 
read  and  more  forcibly  declaimed  than  a  loose  and  unjointed  con- 
struction. 

The  judicious  use  of  the  variations  of  quantity  is  the  very  life 
of  elocution,  and  the  right  hand  of  dignity  in  the  measure  of  poetry 
and  prose. 

The  human  ear  has  conizance  of  two  kinds  of  Proportion  in 
the  sucesions  of  sound :  one  embracing  the  relationship  of  its 
forces  ;  the  other  of  its  duration. 

The  First  consists  in  the  perception  of  unequal /orcf^  alternately 
sucesive.  Of  this  we  have  many  species,  derived  from  the  order 
of  sucesion,  or  the  number  of  the  varied  impulses ;  as  exhibited 
in  the  folowing  ilustration  :  where  the  first  species  shows  a  heavy 
impulse  folowed  by  a  lighter  one ;  the  second,  one  heaxj  folowed 

ship  at  our  barbarian  cacophony ;  if  I  may  with  a  repugnant  car,  thus  lay  an 
example  of  classical  harmony  on  an  English  page.  A  language  that  would 
give  to  a,  e,  i,  o,  «,  oi,  and  ou,  an  over-share  of  speech,  would  be  very  monoto- 
nous, and  might  perhaps  remind  us  of  its  vowel-roots  among  the  sub-animals: 
but  in  sound  alone,  it  would  interupt  fluency  by  an  increase  of  hiatus,  and  be 
far  from  the  harmonious.  The  term  harmony,  taken  from  other  arts,  has  not 
a  very  descriptive  meaning,  when  aplied  to  language.  Architecture,  Music, 
Painting,  and  the  Landscape,  require,  respectively,  a  unity  in  their  varied 
distribution  of  sound,  color,  form,  and  surface,  and  a  variety  in  the  unitizing 
power  of  contrast,  to  make  up  the  engaging  efects  of  their  harmony :  and 
each  has  its  peculiar  maner,  if  I  may  so  speak,  of  Preparing,  and  Striking,  and 
Resolving  its  discords.  What  the  literary  critic  calls  harmony  of  language, 
is  in  reality  a  perception,  not  of  consonant,  but  of  different,  impressions  on 
the  ear,  and  consists  in  the  varied  and  agreeable  sucesions  and  contrasts, 
of  the  forms  of  Force,  Vocality  and  Time,  with  the  intersections  of  pause; 
shown  in  Knglish  Composition,  by  a  due  aportionment  of  tonic,  subtonic, 
and  atonic  elements,  to  mutable,  imutablo,  and  indefinite  sylables,  under  the 
name  of  Kythmua. 


208  THE  TIME  OF   THE   VOICE. 

by  two  lighter ;  the  third  and  fourth  being  respectively  the  reversed 
order  of  the  other  two. 


#9  @e  ®®  I  #®i^  @3@  I   »#  @©  I  «9#  es^ 

The  Second  kind  of  proportion  consists  in  the  different  duration 
of  two  or  more  sounds.  Of  these  the  species  are  formed  upon  the 
relations  of  long  and  short,  and  from  the  direct  or  reverse  order  of 
their  diferences,  ilustrated  in  the  folowing  diagram ;  where  the  first 
section  is  meant  to  represent  a  sound  of  given  length,  suceded  by 
one  of  half  or  leser  fraction  of  its  time ;  the  second  shows  a  given 
length  folowed  by  two  of  shorter  time ;  the  third  and  foiu'th  being 
respectively  the  reverse  in  order,  of  the  times  of  the  first  and  second. 


The  Reader  can  audibly  ilustrate  these  schemes,  by  tonic  sounds 
respectively,  of  different  force,  and  duration. 

We  can  at  present,  reach  no  further  in  the  investigation  of  this 
subject,  than  to  knowj  the  measurement  of  these  proportions  is  an 
agreeable  exercise  of  the  cultivated  ear :  and  that  we  are  more 
pleased  witli  varied  percusions,  and  varied  durations  of  any  me- 
chanical sounds,  of  these  or  other  symetrical  arangements,  than 
with  one  unvaried  order  of  percussions  and  durations,  except 
regular  pauses  are  interposed  between  any  given  order  of  them ; 
as  in  the  following  diagram :  where  the  space  of  a  pause  is  repre- 
sented between  a  series  of  two,  and  of  three  similar  sounds. 


%^  e®    ©o    s    e«®     eeo     «ee 

As  the  voice  has  the  power  of  this  momentary  peivusion,  and 
sylables  have  diferent  degrees  of  duration,  both  of  the  above  pro- 
portional forms  of  force  and  time  may  be  aplied  to  speech.  The 
perception  of  the  former  is  called  Accent j  that  of  the  later,  Quau- 


THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE.  209 

tity.  To  one  who  has  equaly  exercised  his  ear  in  these  two  kinds 
of  measurement,  the  alternation  of  quantity  is  by  far  the  most  agree- 
able. For  in  the  case  of  accent,  no  momentary  sound  or  '  ictus ' 
can  be  tunable;  whereas  a  prolonged  quantity  is  the  esential  of 
this  agreeable  tune.  If  then  the  perception  of  equal  momentary 
acents,  with  pauses  between  the  given  agregates,  or  of  unequal 
momentary  acents,  alternately  continued,  is  agreeable,  the  percep- 
tion of  a  similar  order  of  difering  tunable  quantities  must  be  more 
so.  Since  the  accntual  function  may  be  conjoined  with  quantity, 
by  giving  the  abrupt  ictus  to  the  beginning  of  a  prolonged  sylable; 
and  pauses  may  be  interposed  between  agregates  that  make  up  the 
sucesion  of  quantity. 

The  above  view  regards  only  the  acentual  stress,  or  the  time  of 
sound,  considered  in  itself.  When  quantity  carries  the  intonation 
of  the  concrete,  and  thus  Ijecomes  susceptible  of  vocal  expresion, 
its  claims  over  acent  are  incalculable. 

The  preceding  remarks  refer  especialy  to  the  measure  of  verse : 
and  a  principal  cause  of  the  diference  between  a  good  and  a  bad 
reader  therein,  lies  in  a  varied  ability  to  attain  an  efective  and 
elegant  comand  over  acent  and  quantity. 

The  efect  upon  the  ear,  and  the  silent  perception  in  the  mind, 
of  an  agreeable  variety  in  the  sucesions  of  force  and  time,  together 
with  the  division  by  pause,  both  in  prose  and  verse,  is  caled  the 
Rythmus  of  Speech, 

It  may  be  suposed,  I  alude  to  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
when  speaking  of  the  quantity  of  verse.  Noj  it  is  to  the  English 
language,  and  to  the  partial  tho  unsot  use  of  quantity,  at  present 
prevailing  in  its  measure :  and  I  wish  further  to  intimate  a  posi- 
bility  of  the  future  construction  of  its  rythmus,  on  the  sole  basis 
of  quantityj  if  the  scholastic  formalists  of  literature  can  be  made 
to  belevej  the  subject  of  ancient  prosody  has,  for  ages  past,  been 
exhausted ;  that  the  labors  of  wrangling  compilation  arc  inferior 
to  the  works  of  inventive  improvement;  and  that  the  investiga- 
tion of  their  own  respective  languages  may  asure  to  them  the  first 
births  of  originalityj  and  to  their  productions,  if  aml)itious  of 
such  things,  the  consequent  undivided  heritage  of  fame. 

About  the  time  we  are  tat  to  measure  the  sylables  of  Homer 
and  Virgil,  by  the  relations  of  long  and  short,  we  are  toldj  our 


210  THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

own  tongue  does  not  admit  the  rythmus  of  quantity ;  and  that  the 
prosody  of  the  English  as  well  as  of  other  modern  languages,  is 
restricted  to  the  use  of  the  alternately  strong  and  weak  percusive 
acent.  For  the  sake  of  the  general  principle  in  some  important 
maters,  we  do  well,  perhaps,  in  the  present  make-shift  state  of 
the  human  mind,  to  rely  implicitly,  for  a  time,  on  the  authority 
of  our  teachers ;  but  many  find  cause  to  regret  the  necesit}^  of  this 
confidence  in  particular  instances.  From  the  finely  governed  and 
varied  quantities  of  Mrs.  Siddons,  I  first  learned,  by  beautiful  and 
impresive  demonstration,  that  the  English  language  poseses  sim- 
ilar, if  not  equal  resources,  with  the  Greek  and  the  Latin,  in  this 
department  of  the  luxury  of  speech :  and  I  found  myself  indebted 
to  the  Stage,  for  the  opening  of  a  source  of  poetical  and  oratorical 
pleasure,  which  the  more  virtuous  pretences,  and  the  hack-instruc- 
tion of  a  Colege,  either  knew  not  or  disregarded.  AVhrle  listening 
to  the  intonations  of  this  surpasing  Actress,  I  first  felt  a  want  of 
that  elementary  knowledge  which  would  have  enabled  me  to  trace 
the  ways  of  all  her  excelence.  I  could  not  however,*  avoid  learn- 
ing from  her  instinctive  example,  what  the  apointed  elders  over 
my  education  should  have  tat  me ;  that  one  of  the  most  important 
means  of  expresive  intonation,  both  in  poetry  and  prose,  consists 
in  the  extended  time  of  sylabic  utterance.* 

I  do  not  here  mean  to  sayj  the  quantity  of  English  sylables  has 
not  been  recognized  by  prosodians ;  or  its  beauty  not  been  per- 
ceved  by  a  good  ear,  wherever  it  has  been  well  used  by  design,  or 
acidentaly,  in  English  versification,  and  in  the  well  adjusted  sylabic 
arangement  of  prose.  I  mean  to  convey  a  regret  that  its  poM'ers 
have  been  undervalued;  that  its  elegant  and  dignified  r}'thmic 
combination  with  acent  and  pause,  have  been  overlooked  in  the 

*  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  hear  this  acomplishod  Actres,  both  in  Edin- 
burgh and  London,  while  pursuing  my  medical  studies,  from  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  nine,  till  eighteen  hundred  and  eleven.  On  the  first  publication  of 
this  Work,  in  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-seven,  it  came  into  my  mindj 
perhaps  scarcely  warranted,  even  by  my  admiration  both  here,  and  subse- 
quently expresedj  to  send  her  a  Copy  :  not  however  without  suficient  warn- 
ing, from  some  floating  anticipation,  that  the  book  itself  would  be  regarded 
by  that  peculiar  Actor-ism  of  Actors,  as  an  unwelcome,  if  not  a  presumptuous 
ofering  on  the  Theatric  Altar  of  Anti-docility  and  Self-sufiicient  'Genius.' 
I  think  it  was  then,  and  now  after  seven  and  twenty  years,  when  I  add  this 
note,  I  more  than  think  it  is  still  so  regarded. 


THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE.  211 

modern  afectation  of  the  unfluent  plalness  of  a  coloquial  style; 
and  that  it  ha.s  been  exoludal  from  its  place  in  elementary  rhetor- 
ical instruction ;  thereby  depriving  the  ear  of  one  of  its  highest 
prerogatives  of  perception,  in  poetry  and  speech. 

We  may  ver>'  properly  askj  whether  a  clasical  scholar  is  gravely 
in  earnest,  or  only  vain  of  a  colege-liveiy,  in  declaring  his  enjoy- 
ment of  Greek  and  Latin  temporal  rythums,  while  ignorant  of 
similar  resources  of  neglected  quantity  in  his  own  language.  The 
Greeks  and  the  Latins  have  left  us  their  gramar,  their  writen  words, 
sylables,  and  elements ;  but  our  uncertainty  of  the  true  voice  of 
these  elements  both  individually  and  combined,  has  given  rise, 
among  modern  scholars,  to  a  difference  in  the  pronunciation  of 
them.  Asuming  the  English  manerj  the  subject  of  Greek  and 
Latin  prosody  may  be  resolved  into  its  simple  principles,  and 
briefly  described.  Long  sylables,  or  their  temporal  efects,  are 
made  in  two  ways :  First,  by  the  absolute  duration  of  sylables, 
constituted  like  those  we  called  indefinite :  Second,  by  the  short 
time  of  those  we  called  imutable  and  mutable,  folowed  by  a  pause ; 
the  time  of  pronunciation  aded  to  the  time  of  the  pause,  being 
equal  to  that  of  a  long  sylable.  Short  sylables  are  made  by  the 
short-timed  pronunciation  of  indefinite  sylables ;  or  by  imutable 
ones  ;  and  there  is  nothing  in  this  acount  of  Ancient  quantity,  not 
true  of  the  English  language. 

And  further,  not  only  are  these  general  principles  of  sylabic 
construction  the  same  in  Greek,  Latin,  and  English,  but  the  very 
sylables  themselves  are  comon  to  these  three  languages ;  nay,  it 
may  be  said,  to  all  languages.  For  we  must  bear  in  mindj  there 
Is  in  all  languages,  severaly  about  the  same  number,  both  of  vowels 
and  consonants ;  that  most  of  these  elements  themselves  are  comon 
to  all ;  and  that  universaly,  no  sylable  ever  includes  more  than 
one  tonic,  or  vowel.  The  average  number  of  audible  consonants 
in  every  sylable  being  about  three  to  one  vowel,  the  law  of  permu- 
tation in  this  case  would  not  furnish  sylables  enough  to  alow  a 
diferent  set,  respectively  to  all  the  languages  of  past  and  present 
time :  and  it  apears  on  comparison,  not  suficient  to  make  a  dis- 
coverable diference  even  between  two.  If  the  Reader  will  try 
ever}'  line  of  Homer,  and  Horace,  he  will  find  scarcely  a  sylable 
that  does  not  form  the  whole,  or  part  of  some  word  in  his  own 


212  THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

tongue ;  both  as  regards  the  elemental  sounds,  and  the  most  exact 
coincidence  of  quantity.  But  it  is  on  sylables  alone,  the  rules  of 
quantity  are  founded  in  every  language.  When  therefore  we  deny 
that  the  English  tongue  admits  of  the  temporal  measure,  we  must 
come  to  the  absurd  conclusion,  that  identical  sounds  have  in  Greek 
type  the  most  finished  fitnes  for  sylabic  quantity,  and  in  English 
have  none  at  all.* 

These  remarks  refer  principaly  to  the  time  of  sylables  separately 
considered.  There  may  be  some  diferences  in  the  several  words 
of  these  languages,  that  render  it  easier  to  construct  a  rythmus  of 
quantity  in  one  than  in  another :  we  however,  here  speak  of  the 
admision  of  the  system  of  quantity  into  English,  and  not  of  the 
cc^mparative  ease  of  its  execution  when  adopted.  There  may  be 
some  facilities  in  the  Greek  for  certain  kinds  of  measure,  arising 
out  of  the  greater  length  of  the  generality  of  words  in  this  lan- 
guage. The  Greek  may  possess  an  advantage  over  the  English  in 
some  of  the  purposes  of  vocal  expresion  and  poetic  quantity,  by 
having  a  greater  number  of  indefinite  sylables,  and  by  making 
less  use  of  the  abrupt  elements,  in  positions  that  produce  an 
imutable  time.  Greek  sylables  have,  in  general,  fewer  letters  than 
English ;  and  they  more  frequently  end  with  a  tonic  element. 

*  That  this  may  not  be  regarded  as  an  exagerated  conclusion,  I  add,  from 
among  a  thousand  authorities  that  might  be  quoted  for  the  same  purpose,  the 
folowing  substantial  support  to  it.  In  the  chapter  on  versification,  in  an 
English  translation  of  Baron  Bielfeld's  'Elements  of  Universal  Erudition^' 
after  many  remarks  on  the  subject  of  ancient  quantity  and  modern  accent, 
which  in  nowise  qualify  the  folowing  extraordinary  asertion,  the  author  saysj 
'  Propei'ly  speaking,  there  are  not,  therefore,  in  modern  languages,  any  sensible 
distinctions  of  long  and  short  sylables,  but  many  that  are  to  be  lightly  pased 
over,  and  others  on  which  a  strong  acent,  or  inflection  of  the  voice,  is  to  be 
placed.'  This  was  writen  towards  the  close  of  the  last  centurj-,  by  the  '  Pre- 
ceptor to  a  European  Prince,  and  the  Chancelor  of  all  the  Universities  in  the 
Prussian  dominions.'  Even  before  his  time,  some  prosodians  were  not  without 
the  sense  of  hearing;  and  tho  the  existence  of  long  and  short  sylables  in 
modern  languages  has,  since  the  epoch  of  his  deep  deafnes,  been  goneraly 
admited,  yet  it  is  still  held  to  be  imposible  to  make  agreeable  measure  out  of 
their  relations. 

In  candor,  it  should  be  stated:!  the  Baron  was  a  comi)ilcr ;  but  such  writers 
generaly  represent  curent  opinions,  and  they  always  know  more  of  indexes, 
popular  books,  and  other  men's  notions,  than  is  cither  known  or  coveted  by 
those  who  '  observe,  and  read,  and  tliink,  l\)r  themselves.' 


THE   TIME   OF   THE    VOICE.  213 

Tlic  employment  of  quantity  in  English  prose  composition, 
sometimes  acidentaly  produces  the  regular  measure  of  Greek  and 
Latin  lines.  If  these  ocasional  passages  of  temporal  rj'thmus  are 
well  accomodated  to  the  'genius'  of  the  English  language,  it  does 
not  apear,  why  the  studied  contrivance  of  a  poet  might  not  use 
those  existing  quantities,  in  the  continued  course  of  verse.  The 
folowing  sentence  luus  not  the  acentual  form  of  any  of  our  estab- 
lishal  meters,  and  is  therefore,'  in  its  rythmus,  purely  English 
prose:  Rome,  in  her  downfall,  blazoned  the  fame  of  barbarian 
conquests.  This  sentence,  independently  of  its  impresive  tonic 
sounds,  with  stres  and  time  upon  them,  derives  its  character,  from 
the  relative  position  of  its  long  and  short  quantities ;  which  is 
exactly  that  of  a  Latin  and  of  a  Greek  hexameter  line,  here  shown 
by  comparison. 

Dactyl  Spondee  Dactyl  Dactyl  Dactyl      Spondee. 


Ev  dzTTS  I  f7£      !^wfT  I  rrjfjc  a  |  p-qpori  |  -upoq  o  |  ifrroq. 

Si  nihil  |  ex      tant  |  a  supe  |  ris         placet  |  Qrbe     re  |  linqui. 

Rome  in  h§r  |  downfall  |  bliizOn'd   the  |  fame   6f  bar  |  barian      |  conquests. 

When  this  last  sentence  is  read  with  its  proper  pauses,  and  with 
deliberate  pronunciation,  it  coresponds  in  measure  with  the  long 
and  short  times  of  the  superscribed  Latin  and  the  Greek.  Let  us 
not  however  think  it  strange,  for  anticipation  takes  oiF  the  edge 
of  surprisej  if  a  clasic  scholar  should  deny  the  identity  of  its  tem- 
poral impresion,  with  that  of  the  colated  lines.  We  are  so  little 
acustomed  to  regard  English  sylables  in  reference  to  their  quantity, 
that  it  is  diiicult  at  first,  to  make  it  even  a  subject  of  perception. 
For  he  who,  acording  to  vulgar  persuasion  belevesj  there  is  an 
openes  of  tlie  senses  to  first  physical  impresions,  greater  than  that 
of  the  mind  to  new  subjects  of  thot,  plainly  indicates  that  he  has 
overlooked  the  ways  and  ])0wers  of  both  the  senses  and  the  mind ; 
the  senses  having  cqualy  their  ignorance,  obstinacy,  and  prejudice; 
equaly  perceving  what  is  familiar,  and  for  a  long  time  j)erceving 
no  more.  And  perhaps  when  the  powers  of  observation,  and 
experimental  reflection  shall  be  directed  to  the  mind,  exclusively  as 
a  physical  phenomcnonj  the  now  contradistinguished  functions  of 


214  THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

the  senses  and  the  mind  will  apear  to  be  one  and  the  same,  in  most 
of  their  ways  and  means.  A  cultivated  and  searching  eye  and  ear 
are  as  rarely  found,  as  a  well  discijjlined  and  self-dependent  mindj 
the  latter  being  produced  by  the  former ;  and  a  wise  master,  in 
human  policy  and  morals,  would  not  have  more  dificulty,  where 
interest  is  not  inimical,  in  efecting  his  designs  of  melioration,  than 
an  original  observer  in  physical  science  Avould  experience  from  the 
massj  I  was  about  to  say  of  the  Philosophic  worldj  upon  solicit- 
ing an  imediate  asent  to  the  realitj'  of  a  manifest  development 
of  nature,  or  of  some  useful  invention  of  art.  It  is  a  pasive  and 
an  easy  thing  to  look  and  to  listen ;  but,  with  a  purpose  of  inteli- 
gent  inquiry,  it  is  a  labor  of  wisdom  to  see  and  to  hear. 

In  speaking  of  the  indefinite  sylables  of  the  English  language, 
it  was  saidj  their  time  might  be  varied  without  deforming  pro- 
nunciation ;  and  we  must  recolect,  that  the  abrupt  elements,  M'hich 
generaly  terminate  imutable  sylables,  have  necesarily  after  the 
oclusion,  a  pause  which  alows  them,  with  the  adition  of  the  time 
of  that  pause,  to  hold  the  place,  and  fulfil  the  function  of  a  long 
one.  AVith  these  materials  for  the  construction  of  a  temporal 
rythmus  in  English  versification,  nothing  but  deafnes  or  prejudice 
prevents  our  perceving  that  its  institution  has  been  strongly 
prompted  by  nature,  and  is  already  half  established  in  our  poetry. 
We  alow  a  reader  full  liberty  over  the  quantity  of  sylables,  for 
the  sake  of  expresion  in  speech ;  and  song  employs  tlie  widest 
ranges  of  time  on  tonic  sounds ;  why  should  we  refuse  to  the 
measure  of  verse,  a  less  striking  departure  from  the  rules  of  comon 
pronunciation. 

Mr.  Sheridan,  who  does  not  overlook  the  existence  of  quantity 
in  the  English  language,  and  its  use  in  the  expresion  of  speech, 
but  Avho  nevertheles,  maintains  that  the  '  genius '  of  our  tongue  is 
exclusively  disposed  to  the  acentual  measure^  seems  to  ground  his 
opinion  on  the  special  rules  of  Greek  and  Latin  prosody,  not  being 
aplicable  to  the  cases  of  varying  time  in  English  pronunciation. 
He  might  as  fairly  have  concluded,  that  the  good  English  style 
of  his  own  lectures  could  not  be  as  perspicuous  as  a  Latin  con- 
struction, because  its  arangement  is  diferent  from  the  apropriate 
inversions  of  the  later  tongue. 

On  this  subject  we  have  briefly  to  inquirej  Has  the  English 


THE  TIME  OP   THE  VOICE.  215 

language  long  and  short  sylables ;  and  can  these  varying  quanti- 
ties be  arange<l,  to  produce  an  agreeable  rj'thnius  ?  The  answer 
is  as  brief.  We  have,  equaly  with  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  the 
long  and  short  sylabic  variation ;  and  it  requires  some  other  argu- 
ment against  the  design  of  employing  it  in  meter,  than  that  de- 
rival  from  its  having  never  yet  been  done.  I  would  not  choose 
to  contend  with  him,  who  doubts  that  quantity  necesarily  belongs 
to  every  spoken  language.  The  ancients  not  only  recognized  it  in 
theirs,  but  availed  themselves  of  its  use  in  the  creations  of  literary 
taste :  and  had  Greek  and  Roman  gramarians,  in  recording  their 
special  rules  for  the  quantity  of  particular  words,  furnished  us 
with  a  little  of  that  philosophy  of  elemental  and  sylabic  sounds, 
which  authorized,  or  produced  the  prosodial  meters  of  their  sev- 
eral languages,  the  moderns  would  in  all  probability,  have  seen 
its  aplication  to  their  own. 

If  tlie  Greeks  did  not  derive  the  Knowledge  and  use  of  Quan- 
tity from  Egypt  and  the  East,  there  is  some  ground  for  the  opinion, 
tho  this  part  of  history  is  not  altogether  clear,  that  the  restricted 
melodial  character  of  their  music j  its  relation  to  songj  the  care 
therein  taken  to  adjust  the  temporal  corespondence  of  sylables  to 
notesj  together  with  its  forming,  as  it  is  said,  part  of  the  liberal 
education  of  their  orators,  poets,  and  philosophersj  may  have  led 
to  the  close  investigation  of  quantity,  and  to  its  employment  by 
the  later  Greeks  in  their  rythmic  composition.  We  are  not  how- 
ever justified  in  asuming  its  early  use,  at  the  date  asigned  to  the 
Iliad ;  for  the  fabulous  accounts  of  that  Poem  leave  its  original 
condition  altogether  unknown.  We  cannot  therefore  avoid  be- 
leving  in  its  counties  alterations  by  Hellenic  vanity  and  pride; 
and  tliat  its  first  mingled  measure  of  quantity  and  acent  was  sub- 
sequently changed  to  its  present  prosodial  form.  The  modern 
extension  of  the  science  of  music,  to  the  principles  and  resources 
of  the  ingenius  system  of  harmony,  has  rendered  it  independent 
of  the  suport  of  words ;  and  the  nice  measurement  of  their  time 
has  Ijeen  neglected,  since  the  separation  of  the  formerly  united 
duties  of  the  composer  and  the  poet. 

I  here  offer  the  conjecture,  but  leave  others  to  determine  its 
truthj  that  the  establishment  of  Greek  rythmus  on  the  relations 
of  quantity  did  contribute,  with  other  causes,  to  refine  the  character 


216  THE   TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

of  that  language.  We  know  what  changes -rhyme,  and  the  acent- 
ual  measure  have  made  in  the  pronunciation  of  English ;  and  even 
with  the  maturity  of  this  language,  there  is  cause  to  beleve,  that 
one  means  for  enlarging  the  resources  of  its  rythmus  would  be,  to 
found  its  versification  on  the  proportions  of  quantity.  The  oca- 
sional  wants  of  poets  would  prompt  them  to  change  by  license, 
many  of  our  imutable  sylables  to  indefinites ;  would  lead  to  the 
elision  of  atonic  or  abrupt  elements,  from  the  end  of  sylables ; 
and,  by  those  broad  excursions  into  thot  which  the  comon  poet, 
together  with  the  profesional  critic  seems  not  to  contemplate,  is 
rarely  disposed  to  encourage,  and  certainly  never  has  acomplished^; 
our  language  might  be  invited  towards  that  condition  of  sylabica- 
tion  which  constitutes  in  part,  the  prosodial  superiority  of  the 
Greek.  We  know  that  the  diaeresis  and  other  licenses  of  Greek 
measurej  to  say  nothing  of  the  dialects,  which  must  have  been 
widely  diffused  by  their  literature^  were  constantly  used  for  facili- 
ties in  the  arangement  of  poetic  quantity ;  and  we  might  inquire 
whether  the  addition  to  its  alphabet,  of  the  Heta  and  Omega,  was 
not  a  contribution  to  the  demands  of  the  temporal  rythmus. 

Those  who  are  in  the  habit  of  poetical  composition,  in  the  comon 
acentual  method,  know  how  readily  words  of  suitable  aconts  are 
at  the  call  of  versification.  Nay,  the  ready  gathering,  or  fluency 
of  the  ear,  if  we  may  so  call  it,  is  with  some  persons,  in  this  mat- 
ter so  unfailing,  that  if  the  purpose  of  words  be  disregarded,  there 
will  be  no  hesitation  in  sorting  such  unmeaning  discourse  into  any 
asumed  accentual  measure.  I  mean,  that  a  person  wdth  a  quick 
poetic  ear  and  a  free  comand  of  language,  will  find  no  dificulty  in 
carying  on,  for  any  duration,  an  extempore  stresful  rythmus  of 
incoherent  words  or  phrases :  while  he  who  is  not  in  the  practice 
of  metrical  composition,  even  if  aware  of  the  required  sucesion  of 
acents,  would  show  as  much  delay  in  gathering  words  to  fulfil  his 
acentual  purposes,  as  the  former  would,  under  the  present  state 
of  the  English  ear,  in  aptly  furnishing  sylables  for  a  tanporal 
rythmus.  Habit  must  have  given  to  the  Extemporizing  poets  of 
Greece,  if  there  could  be  or  ever  were  such  pei'sons  worth  hcaringj 
the  same  elective  afinity  of  ear,  for  the  apropriute  quantity  of  their 
vei'ses,  lus  tiie  similar  class  of  Improvisatori  in  later  Italy  had  for 
their  recjuircd  acents.     At  least  two-thirds  of  the  acentcd  sylables 


THE  TIME  OF  THE   VOICE.  217 

of  English  words  are  indefinite  in  their  timej  and  being  alowably 
made  either  long  or  slujrt,  may  be  employed  for  a  temporal  ryth- 
mus.  Until  therefore,  we  have  a  larger  experience  in  the  use  of 
quantity  for  modern  versification,  and  until  the  English  ear  knows 
more  of  the  efect  of  sylabic  time  than  it  does  at  present,  we  may 
be  justified  in  considering  any  belief  that  a  temporal  measure  is 
not  aplicable  to  modern  languages,  as  altogether  without  foundation. 

It  is  true,  the  number  of  monosylables  and  disylables  in  our 
language  excedes  that  of  the  Greek ;  and  this  may  posibly  render 
the  former  less  fit  than  the  latter,  for  the  construction  of  certain 
systems  of  measure.  On  this  ground  it  has  been  aserted  that 
English  words  cannot  be  aranged  in  an  agreeable  dactylic  sucesion. 
This  may  be  the  case  ;  yet  we  have  too  little  sleight  in  the  manage- 
ment of  quantity,  to  justify  a  positive  opinion  on  this  point;  and 
the  trials  already  made  are  not  quite  decisive.  Habit  is  a  fore- 
staled  and  obstinate  judge  over  existing  institutions,  and  often  pro- 
nounces unwisely  upon  their  beter  substitutes.  For  we  know  that 
an  anapestic  measure,  founded  on  a  mixture  of  acent  and  quantity, 
and  nearly  identical  in  efect  with  the  ancient  full  dactylic  linej  is 
well  suited  to  the  sylabic  and  verbal  condition  of  our  language ; 
and  that  a  very  agreeable  rythmus  is  produced  by  it.  Admiting 
the  above  objection,  it  will  not  overrule  the  design  to  establish  the 
forms  of  Iambic  and  Trochaic  measure,  now  in  use,  on  the  basis 
of  quantity  alone.* 

Although  English  versification  is  avowedly  raised  on  the  acentual 
rythmus,  entire  lines  are  occasionally  found,  so  satisfactorily  fulfil- 
ing  all  the  conditions  of  the  temporal  measurej  they  might  be  judged 
by  the  revived  poetical  ear  of  a  Greek.     Such  lines  are  however 

*  Let  us  subjoin  a  word  here,  for  our  delusions  and  prejudices.  The  dactylic 
foot,  and  the  anapestic  fall  with  a  similar  efect  upon  the  ear.  The  ancients 
used  the  former,  ocasionaly,  thru  whole  lines,  in  themes  of  the  highest  dig- 
nity ;  and  school-boys  are  tatj  it  richly  and  gravely  fulfils  its  purpose.  We 
use  the  anai)e.stic  foot  for  dogercl  and  burlcsk,  and  belcve  too,  there  is  some- 
thing in  its  light  skip  especialj'  adapted  to  the  familiar  gayety  of  its  modern 
poetic  use.  Let  a  deaf  worshiper  of  antiquity  and  an  English  prosodist  settle 
this  matter  between  them  ;  for,  to  serve  a  purpose,  even  the  extremes  of  con- 
tradiction are  sometimes  brought  together.  But  on  this,  as  on  some  other 
articles  of  the  clasical  creed,  they  may  be  reduced  to  say,  in  the  sole  words 
by  which  the  Yezedi  of  Persia  who  worship  the  devil,  briefly  explained  their 
faith,  and  pertinaciously  defended  it  against  a  Christian  misionaryj 'Thus  it  is.' 

15 


218  THE  TIME   OF   THE   VOICE. 

always  preceded  and  folowed  by  others,  founded  on  the  mingled 
relations  of  both  quantity  and  acent.  One  who  is  skiled  in  the 
art  of  measuring  the  time  of  sylables,  will,  over  this  iregular 
rythmus,  be  shocked  by  the  unexpected  variation  of  its  disimilar 
impresions.  An  ear  of  delicate  prosodial  instinct,  which  yet  makes 
no  inquiry  into  its  perceptions,  often  sufers  this  violence  from 
English  verse,  but  is  ignorant  of  its  cause.  The  poet  of  high 
endowment,  who  has  at  the  same  time  a  ready  discrimination  of 
quantity,  with  copious  thot  and  language  at  comand,  instinctively 
avoids  in  composition,  much  of  the  evil  of  these  conflicting  sys- 
tems. And  one  of  the  merits  of  a  good  reader  of  verse,  consists 
in  changing  our  metrical  acents  into  conspicuous  quantities,  by 
extending  the  voice  on  all  those  sylables  that  have  a  stres  in  the 
measure,  and  will  bear  prolongation. 

From  all  that  has  been  said  on  the  comparative  character  of 
quantity  and  acent,  and  from  the  slow  progres  of  modern  nations  in 
distinguishing  the  relations  of  the  former,  it  would  seemj  of  these 
two  metrical  impresions,  acent  is  more  easily  recognized.  Nor 
is  it  unwarantable  to  infer,  from  the  greater  facility  in  aranging 
an  acentual  measure,  that  the  first  rythmic  essays  of  all  nations 
were  in  this  form  of  versification ;  and  that  the  Greeks  pleased 
themselves  with  this  rattling  amusement  of  poetical  infancy.  There 
is  no  fact  oposed  to  this  inference ;  and  I  could  as  soon  be  per- 
suadedj  the  first  mstrumental  music  of  Otaheite,  was  not  the 
clatering  of  shells,  as  that  the  earliest  songs  of  Greece  were 
measured  by  the  nice  relationships  of  time.  Our  language,  neither 
young  nor  heedles  in  all  the  ways  of  thot,  is  yet  within  its  unformed 
childhood,  for  the  graceful  steps  of  quantity :  and  many  of  those 
who  with  earnest  wishes,  but  inefectual  means,  may  have  designed 
to  advance  and  refine  it ;  and  who  by  tiiste  and  authority,  were 
qualified  to  listen  to  living  voices,  with  progresively  meliorating 
influence  upon  thcmj  have  only  wandered  ofl"  with  an  unavailing 
ear,  among  the  silent  graves  of  language  in  the  remote  realms  of 
antiquity.  We  all  experience  an  august  delight  over  the  yet  en- 
during works  of  the  distant  dead.  There  is  scarcely  a  page  of  the 
poetic  rythmus  of  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans,  or  a  remaining 
trace  of  their  plummet  and  chisel,  that  might  not  make  me  forget, 
under  intense  contemplation,  the  mere  seclusion  of  a  prison.     Yet 


THE  TIME   OF  THE   VOICE.  219 

I  could  as  soon  admit,  that  the  modern  zeal  in  freightino;  our 
homeward  ships  with  the  fragments  of  tlieir  templesj  and  tlie 
covetousness  of  nations,  for  the  veiy  purloined  poscssion  of  their 
statuary,  ought  to  preclude  the  future  use  of  the  marble  of  their 
ancient,  or  of  yet  unopened  quaries,  for  the  aeompli.shment  of 
equal  or  transcending  works  of  artj  as  that  a  just  admiration  of 
clasic  rythmus  should  prevent  the  endeiivor  to  transfer  to  our  own 
language,  tlie  admisible  principles  of  Greek  and  Roman  poetry. 
These  remarks  aply  equaly  to  the  r}'thmus  of  Piiose;  for  the 
agreeable  arangement  of  words,  by  acent  and  quantity  is,  as  the 
Ancients  interwove  it  with  purity,  propriety,  and  precision,  one  of 
the  most  elegant  characteristics  of  the  Fine  or  Esthetic  art  of 
Writing.  But  we  now  educate  the  ear  and  intelect  away  from  all 
these  good  things,  and  down  to  the  People ;  in  the  delasive  ex- 
pectation of  a  final  Golden  Age  of  morality  and  taste ;  and  as  a 
Public-School  protection  against  trading  and  political  dishonesty. 

I  have  ofered  the  last  few  pages  of  this  section,  as  no  more  than- 
digresive  and  desultory  remarks  on  a  subject,  intimately  conected 
with  the  time  of  the  voice,  and  with  the  cultivation  of  an  impor- 
tant but  neglected  Mode  of  speech. 

The  English  language  has  an  unbounded  prospect  before  it. 
The  unequaled  milions  of  a  great  continentj  into  whatever  forms 
of  Anarchy,  or  Despotism,  they  may  be  hereafter  led  by  a  besoting, 
a  be-slaving,  and  for  this  world  at  least,  a  be-damning  love  of  the 
Tyranic  "Wrongs  of  Vested  Rights,  of  State-bred  jealosies,  of 
Official  ignorance  and  fraud,  of  paper  credit,  debt,  restlessness,  and 
popularityj  must,  I  say,  with  every  national  Upheaving,  and  En- 
gulfing, by  the  rage  of  avarice  and  ambition,  still  hold  comunity 
in  the  wide  and  astonishing  difusion  of  one  cultivated  and  identical 
speech.  Nor  should  we  so  far  undervalue  the  emulative  eforts  of 
its  future  Scholars,  as  to  supose  they  will  all  merely  regard  with 
retrospective  vanitj',  what  has  been  done,  and  not  extend  their 
views  to  other  and  deeper  resources  of  their  art.  But  in  looking 
forward  to  the  establishment  of  English  versification,  on  the  basis 
of  quantity,  we  must  alow  a  limitation  of  the  poet's  abundance,, 
for  the  substituted  excelence  of  his  (iivr  but  finished  lines.  Our 
measure  is  now  drawn  from  the  two  diferent  sources  of  acent  and 
quantity.     To  construct  a  rythmus  by  quantity  alone,  will  recpiire 


220  THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES. 

more  rejections,  and  a  wider  search  in  composition;  more  copious- 
nes  in  the  comand  of  apropriate  words ;  greater  readines  and  acu- 
racy  of  ear,  in  measuring  the  relationships  of  time;  and  longer 
labor  for  the  acomplishment  of  a  shorter  work.  I  am  here  speak- 
ing of  the  great  results  of  the  pen.  Of  these,  as  of  all  enduring 
human  productions,  labor  joined  with  time,  must  be  the  eficient 
means ;  and  must  deservedly  divide  the  merit  of  the  achievement, 
with  the  wisdom  that  invoked  their  aid.  Let  him  who  could 
patiently  deVote  a  life,  to  laying-up  store  of  '  goodly  tliots '  for 
Paradise  Lost,  unravel  the  idler's  fable  about  that  '  inspiration,'  of 
the  so-called  imortal  works  of  man.  Let  them,  who  to  the  energy 
of  intelect  have  joined  the  strong  body  of  laborious  care,  say, 
wherein  consists  the  true  life,  and  the  embalming  of  fame :  let 
them  touch  the  sleeve  of  early  and  voluminous  authorship,  and 
whisper  one  of  the  useful  secrets,  for  acomplishing  more  that  may 
wisely  instruct  and  endure,  and  less  that  with  ambitous  haste,  may 
only  teach  itself  to  sadly  failj  and  perish. 


SECTION  XII. 

Of  the  Intonation  at  Pauses. 

The  term  Pause  in  elocution,  is  aplied  to  an  ocasional  silence  in 
discourse,  greater  than  the  momentary  rest  between  sylables. 

Pauses  are  used  for  the  clearer,  and  more  emphatic  display  of 
thot  and  pasion,  by  separating  certain  words  or  agregates  of  words 
from  each  other. 

The  philosophy  of  grammar  consistently  with  those  two  great 
Categories,  Matter  and  Motion,  has  reduced  all  the  words  of  uni- 
versal language  to  two  coresponding  clases :  the  Substantive,  de- 
noting Things  that  exist ;  and  the  Verb,  denoting  the  various 
conditions  of  their  Actions :  all  the  other  Parts  of  Speech  being 
only  specifications  of  the  atributes  of  these  things ;  and  the  predi- 
cation of  their  actions,  with  regard  to  time,  place,  degree,  maner. 


THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES.  221 

and  all  their  posible  relationships.  Panses  divide  into  sections,  the 
continued  line  of  words  Avhich  severaly  describe  these  existences 
and  a*;encies,  with  their  relationships :  the  restricted  uterance, 
within  these  pauses,  giving  a  sectional  unity  to  the  impresion  on 
the  ear,  and  a  clear  perception  to  the  mind,  by  their  temporary 
limitation  to  a  single  subject  of  atention.  The  division  of  dis- 
course, by  means  of  this  ocasional  rest,  prevents  the  feeblenes  or 
obscurity  of  impression,  resulting  from  an  unbroken  movement  of 
speechj  no  less  remarkably  than  the  skilful  disposition  of  color, 
and  light,  and  space,  significantly  distinguish  the  pictured  objects 
and  figures  of  the  canvas,  from  the  unmeaning  positions  and 
actions  of  a  chaos  and  a  crowd. 

The  sections  of  discourse  separated  by  pauses,  vary  in  extent 
from  a  smgle  word,  to  a  full  member  of  a  sentence.  There  may 
be  some  purposes  of  expresion  which  require  a  slight  pause  even 
between  sylables.  It  was  shown  that  a  full  opening  of  the  radical, 
must  be  preceded  by  an  oclasion  of  the  voice.  The  accented  sylaljle 
of  the  word  at-tack  being  an  imutable  quantity,  can  receve  a  marked 
emphatic  distinction,  only  by  an  abrupt  explosion  of  the  radical 
after  a  momentary  pause. 

The  times  of  the  several  pauses  of  discourse  vary  in  duration, 
from  the  slight  inter-sylabic  rest,  to  the  full  separation  of  sucesive 
paragraphs ;  the  degrees  being  acomodated  to  the  requisitions  of 
the  greater  or  less  conection  of  thot,  and  to  the  peculiar  demands 
of  expresion. 

All  the  parts  of  a  conected  discourse  should  both  in  subject  and 
in  structure  bear  some  relation  to  each  other.  These  relations  being 
severaly  nearer,  or  more  reraotej  gramatical  Points  were  invented 
to  mark  their  varying  degrees.  The  comon  points  however,  very 
indefinitely  efect  their  purposes  in  the  art  of  reading.  They  are 
described  in  books  of  elementary  instruction,  principaly  with  ref- 
erence to  the  time  of  pausing;  and  are  adressed  to  the  eye,  as 
indications  of  gramatical  structure.  It  is  true,  the  symbols  of 
interogation,  and  exclamation  are  said  to  denote  peculiarity  of 
'  tone.'  But  as  there  is  in  these  cases,  no  notice  of  the  character, 
or  degree  of  the  vocal  movements,  the  extreme  generality  of  the 
statement  afords  neither  preceptive  nor  practical  guide  to  the  ear. 
The  full  eficacy  of  Points  should  consist  in  directing  the  apropriate 


222  THE   IXTOXATIOX   AT   PAUSES. 

intonation  at  pauses,  no  less  than  in  marking  their  temporal  rests ; 
and  a  just  definition  of  the  term  Punctuation  would  perhaps,  be 
as  properly  founded  on  the  variety  of  efect,  produced  by  the 
phrases  of  melody,  as  by  a  diference  in  duration.  Before  Mr. 
Walker,  no  writer,  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  had  formaly  taught  the 
necesity  of  regarding  the  inflections  of  the  voice,  in  the  history  of 
pauses. 

It  is  important  with  regard  to  an  agreeable  efect  upon  the  ear, 
as  well  as  to  thot  and  expresion,  to  aply  the  proper  intonation  at 
pauses.  The  phrases  of  melody  have  here  a  definite  meaning,  and 
often  mark  a  continuation  or  a  completion  of  the  thot,  when  the 
style  and  the  temporal  rest  alone,  would  not  to  an  auditor,  be  de- 
cisive. At  the  same  time,  the  purpose  of  the  pause  being  various, 
an  apropriate  intonation  must  by  its  coresponding  changes,  pre- 
vent the  monotony,  so  comon  with  most  readers,  at  the  gramatical 
divisions  of  discourse. 

The  eifect  of  Pause,  in  separating  parts  of  discourse,  by  a  sus- 
pension of  the  voice,  will  be  ilustrated  in  the  next  section,  on 
Grouping :  and  I  now  describe  the  sucesions  of  the  various 
melody  at  the  diferent  places  of  rest. 

The  triad  of  the  cadence  denotes  a  completion  of  the  preceding 
sentence,  and  is  therefore  inadmisible,  except  at  a  proper  gramatical 
period.  It  does  not  however  folow  that  it  must  always  be  there 
aplied;  for  in  those  forms  of  composition  caled  loose  sentences, 
and  inverted  periods,  members  with  this  complete  and  insulated 
meaning,  are  sometimes  foundj  to  which  an  aditional  and  related 
clause  may  be  subjoinedj  and  consequently  not  admiting  the  down- 
ward terminating  phrase. 

Tlie  rising  tritone,  by  a  movement  directly  contrary  to  that  of 
the  downward  triad  of  the  cadence,  indicates  the  most  ime<liate 
conection  of  thot  or  expresion  between  parts  of  a  sentence,  sepa- 
rated by  the  time  of  the  pause.  The  rising  ditone  caries  on  the 
thot  in  a  diminished  degree.  The  phrase  of  tlie  monotone  denotes 
a  less  conection  between  divided  members  ;  the  faling  ditone  still 
less;  and  the  downward  tritone  with  rising  concretes,  and  the 
ownward  concrete  of  the  feeble  cadence,  produce  a  suspension  of 
thot,  without  positively  limiting  its  further  continuation.  As  the 
triad  of  the  cadence  gives  a  maximum  of  distinction  among  the 


THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES.  223 

parts  of  discourse,  aiul  iitcrly  clascs  a  sentence ;  the  comparison 
of  its  downward  intonation  with  the  respective  characters  of  the 
otlior  plin\ses,  may  explain  the  causes  of  the  cfect  of  each,  by 
sliowing  tlieir  departure  from  tlie  form  and  course  of  tiiis  ternii- 
native  cadence.  The  degrees  of  conection  between  tlie  members 
of  a  sentence  are  so  various,  and  tlie  opinions  of  readei*s  may  be 
so  difcrent,  that  I  do  not  here  pretend  to  asign  the  species  of  phrase 
to  every  kind  of  rhetorical  pause.  From  present  knowledge  on 
this  subject,  I  would  say  generalyj  the  intonation  at  some  pauses 
may  be  varied,  without  exceptionably  afecting  either  thot  or  ex- 
presion ;  yet  there  are  cases  in  which  the  species  of  phrase,  from 
its  exclusive  adaptation  to  the  character  of  the  pause,  is  absolutely 
unalterable.* 

The  foregoing  remarks  on  the  use  of  the  phrases  of  melody, 
have  not  been  made  strictly  in  alusion  to  comon  gramatical  punc- 
tuation. Writers  on  elocution  have  long  since  ascribed  the  faults 
of  readers,  in  part,  to  the  vague  indication  of  these  points,  and  to 
the  distracting  efect  of  the  caprice  of  editors  in  using  them. 

In  the  notation  of  the  folowing  lines,  which  describe  the  highest 
thotful  sublimity,  and  stedfast  independence j  the  phrases  of  melody 
are  aplied  with  reference  to  only  my  own  aceptation  of  the  pur- 
pose of  the  Author ;  and  to  its  distinct  and  apropriate  vocal  rep- 
resentation. I  have  presumed  to  difer,  in  the  second  and  in  the 
fifth  line,  from  the  punctuation  of  the  London  edition  of  Todd's 
Milton,  from  which  the  passage  is  taken. 

*  Let  us  here  supose  the  intonative  and  the  pausal  character  of  Punctuation 
to  be  united.  Then  with  six  pausal  symbols,  each  of  its  proper  duration  of 
rest,  a  coma  might  denote  the  phrase  of  the  rising  tritone.;  a  double  or  dicoma, 
the  rising  ditone  or  the  monotone ;  a  dash,  if  used,  the  monotone  ;  a  semicolon, 
the  faling  ditone;  a  colon,  the  faling  tritone;  and  a  period,  the  triad  of  the 
cadence. 

For  mere  system-making  this  might  seem  to  be  a  pretty  adaptation,  to  bo 
taught  in  the  schools ;  and  thru  ages  there  might  be  no  Observer  to  wwteach 
it.  For  this  is  a  picture  of  theory.  But  the  fixed  correspondence  ocurs  only 
in  the  case  of  the  full  stop,  and  the  triad  of  the  cadence ;  the  others  as  far  as 
I  observe,  being  under  a  vague  rule;  tiiat  the  faling  phrases  more  gencraly 
go  with  the  semicolon  and  colon  ;  the  rising  with  the  coma  and  dicoma ;  and 
the  monotone  comonly  with  these. 

I  therefore  offer  this  note  as  a  pasing  thOt,  hinting  only  at  an  inquiry  into 
the  practical  use  of  this,  or  other  similar  proposal. 


224  THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES. 

So  spake  the  Seraph  Abdiel,  faithful  found 

Among  the  faithles,  faithful  only  he  ; 

Among  innumerable  false,  unmoved, 

Unshaken,  unseduced,  unterified. 

His  loyalty  he  kept,  his  love,  his  zeal  ; 

Nor  number,  nor  example,  with  him  wrought 

To  swerve  from  truth,  or  change  his  constant  mind, 

Though  sino;le. 


When  the  Reader  looks  upon  the  change  of  pauses  I  have  made 
in  the  folowing  notation,  he  must  bear  in  mind,  that  whether  his 
decision  is  favorable  to  it  or  otherAvise,  it  may  still  ilustrate  my 
view  of  the  power  and  place  of  the  phrases  of  melody.  If  this  is 
acomplished,  we  need  not  dispute  about  the  free-will  variet}^,  as 
it  always  will  be,  of  tastes,  in  the  particular  aplication  of  these 
phrases.  My  purpose  in  this  esay  is  to  explain  some  of  the  untold 
functions  of  the  voice;  not  to  contend  with  those  who  may  on 
other  points,  know  more  than  myself. 

In  the  use  of  the  phrases  of  melody,  at  the  pauses  of  discourse, 
the  phrase  is  to  be  aplied  to  the  last  sylables  preceding  the  pause. 
Nevertheles,  for  particular  purposes  of  expresion,  the  monotone 
may  be  continued  on  the  suceding  sylable. 

As  this  notation  is  designed  to  represent  only  the  use  of  the 
phrases  of  melody  at  pauses,  I  have  marked  the  wliole  current 
melody  with  the  simple  concrete ;  omiting  waves  of  the  second, 
and  some  moderate  signs  of  expression,  on  the  long  quantities, 
which  would  be  its  proper  intonation,  as  an  example  of  that 
intermediate  and  dignified  style,  between  the  thotive  and  the 
passionative,  which  we  called  the  admirative,  or  revercntivc. 


So    spake 

the 

Se 

raph 

Ab 

■diel ; 

faith— 

ul    found 

-4  4 

4 

^ 

4 

4 

% 

^  ^    JT 

W 

\ 

VJ. 

A — mong 

the 

faith  les. 

Faitl 

1 — ful 

on- 

-ly 

he. 

4  4  4 

4  ^ 

4 

# 

^ 

V 

*%.     1 

*\ 

^ 

THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES. 


225 


A— 

-nionc:     in — nu me — ra ble     fnl«e; 

un — moved, 

hP 

4  ^  €  ^  4^   4^ 

4  4 

Un 

1                   fipfl   • 

-4- 

4  4  4^^    44 

't-4 

His    loy — al ty      he       kept:;     'lis 

love,      his         zeal. 

44  4  4  4  4   4 

^^'-^^ 

Nor  num her,     nor      ex am pie,     with     him     wrone^htj 


[4^4-4  4  4^4 


L 


To  swerve 

from  truth  ;  or 

chansje 

his 

con — stant  mind, 

4^4 

444 

4 

4 

4  4  4  \ 

— ^^ — ^ 

Though  sin- 


-srle. 


The  first  pause  at  Abdiel  is  marked  with  a  semicolon  and  a 
feeble  cadence ;  for  the  preceding  words,  here  a  complete  sentence, 
do  not  necesarily  produce  the  expectation  of  aditional  and  con- 
ected  meaning ;  for  that  expectation  would  require  the  monotone, 
or  a  rising  phrase ;  and  altho  the  feeble  cadence  weakens  for  the 
moment,  it  does  not  disolve  the  gramatical  concord,  between  the 
members  it  separates.  I  have  set  the  triad  of  the  cadence  and 
a  period  at  faithles,  not  exclusively  upon  the  right  to  asume  the 
thot  as  here  com})leted  ;  but  with  a  view  to  prepare  for  the  eminent 
display  of  the  state  of  mind  embraced  in  the  remainder  of  the 
line.  The  editor  has  marked  this  place  with  a  coma,  and  made 
the  three  succeding  words,  faithful  only  he,  a  dependent  clause.     I 


226  THE   INTOXATION   AT  PAUSES. 

fegard  this  clause,  and  on  gramatical  ground,  as  an  eliptical  sen- 
tencej  and  have  given  it  the  full  close  of  the  faling  triad ;  thereby 
to  promote  the  exalting  effect  admirative  expresion.  These  words 
elegantly  reiterate  the  previoas  atribution  of  faithfulnes  to  Abdiel, 
with  the  further  afirmation  of  his  singlenes  in  virtue.  This  defi- 
nite and  emphatic  restriction  of  the  individuality  of  the  subject, 
is  made  with  deep  regret,  over  the  rebelious  rejection  of  truth, 
mingled  with  exultation  that  Abdiel  alone  has  the  undivided  merit 
of  defending  it.  There  is  a  touch  of  expresion  in  these  words, 
that  even  with  all  other  due  means  for  an  apropriate  uterance, 
cannot,  as  it  seems,  be  answerably  displayedj  unles  they  are  sepa- 
rated from  preceding  and  suceding  clauses,  by  the  marked  distinc- 
tions of  the  limitary  cadences,  and  their  punctuative  periods.  If 
the  word  faithles  should  be  read  with  what  is  caled  in  the  schools, 
a  suspension  of  the  voicej  which  in  their  indefinite  language  means, 
avoiding  a  fallj  the  designed  expresion,  as  I  regard  it,  of  the 
suceding  clause  will  be  perverted  or  lost.  Milton's  fine  ear,  his 
vivid,  and  discriminating  intelect,  qualified  him,  under  Nature's 
system  of  elocution,  to  be  a  good  reader ;  and  tho  he  may  not 
have  been  one  by  practice,  I  would  with  dificulty  belevej  he 
silently  thot  the  passage  we  are  here  considering,  with  the  close 
sequence,  implied  by  the  editor's  comma  and  semicolon. 

The  next  pause  at  false,  is  preceded  by  the  rising  ditone.  The 
structure  of  this  member  evidently  creates  expectancy,  and  the 
species  of  intonation  indicates  a  continuative  thot.  I  have  here 
placed  the  dicoma  to  obviate  a  momentary  misaprehension  on  the 
noun-adjective,  false,  aplied  to  the  Faithlesj  but  here  joined  to  the 
train  of  epithets  distinguishing  the  Loyal  Seraph. 

Of  the  four  suceding  pauses,  each  rests  on  a  single  word.  The 
first  three  are  noted  with  the  monotone,  to  foretel  the  continued 
progresion  of  the  eulogy :  the  fourth,  at  ierified,  has  the  faling 
ditone,  to  denote  a  change,  but  not  a  close  of  thot.  I  have  here 
placed  a  semicolon,  not  perhaps  aeording  to  its  comon  use.  In 
ordering  these  four  pauses,  it  would  vary  the  intonation,  without 
afecting  the  meaning,  to  give  the  last  two  sylables  of  unseduced 
with  a  rising  phrase,  by  i)utting  se  on  tlie  same  radical  line  with 
U7i.  The  phrase  at  kept,  is  the  rising  ditone,  with  the  dicoma,  and 
is  expectant;  for  love  and  zeal  being  equaly  with  loyalty,  the 


THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES.  227 

objectives  of  Iccpt,  are  tlnis  lield  within  the  prospective  eye  of  the 
graniatioal  meaning.  For  the  tlirec  objectives  being  separated  by 
the  construction,  the  rising  ditone  at  kept,  prepares  the  expectant 
atention  to  bring  them  back  into  comj)any  on  the  ear,  at  a  form  of 
the  cadence  on  zeal ;  and  impreses  on  the  auditor,  the  true  syntax 
of  the  sentence. 

At  zeal,  marked  by  the  editor  with  a  semicolon,  I  have  aplied 
a  period,  and  the  second  or  Duad  form  of  the  cadence ;  for  this, 
as  just  stated,  throwing  back  love  and  zeal,  as  objectives  to  the 
verb  kept,  prevents  their  bearing  forward,  as  if  nominatives  to 
some  expected  verb ;  which  might  not  be  avoided,  by  employing 
a  semicolon  at  this  place,  with  one  of  the  continuative  phrases  of 
melody.  We  may  acount  for  the  semicolon  at  zeal,  by  suposing 
the  editor  considered  the  folowing  word  nor,  as  a  continuative 
particle.  Yet  it  certainly  begins  a  new  thought ;  and  in  regard 
both  to  its  place  and  its  imediate  repetition,,  may  be  looked  upon 
as  only  a  poetical  inversion,  and  a  redundancy  of  negative.  The 
remaining  part  of  the  notation  contains  examples  of  the  principles 
just  elucidated,  and  therefore  needs  no  explanation. 

I  have  here  endeavored  to  fill  up  in  part,  a  blank  in  elocution, 
by  giving  a  definite  description  of  the  intonation  to  be  joined 
with  pauses ;  and  by  ilustrating  the  maner  of  framing  principles 
to  direct  the  use  of  the  several  phrases  of  melody.  Those  who 
desire  knowledge  of  the  structure  of  sentences,  for  aplying  these 
principles,  may  consult  books  of  rhetoric.  Mr.  Sheridan  writes 
with  his  explanatory  ability,  on  the  subject  of  pause,  and  gives 
numerous  exemplifications  of  its  proper  usej  yet  makes  no  analysis 
of  tliat  intonation  which  he  may  perhaps  have  joined  with  it,  in 
the  acomplished  practice  of  his  own  voice.  Mr.  Walker  has  also 
given  a  masterly  treatise  on  this  subject,  in  his  Rhetorical  Gram- 
mar. He  wisely  saw  the  practical  utility  of  uniting  with  his  view 
of  the  temporal  purpose  of  pause,  an  inquiry  into  the  apliaible 
forms  of  his  inflections.  In  a  philosophical  view  of  the  subject, 
his  treatise  contains  no  description  of  the  functions  of  pitch, 
beyond  the  ancient  general  distinctions  into  rise,  and  fall,  and 
turn.  Not  having  the  materials,  for  a  specific  discrimination  and 
use  of  the  phrases  of  melo<ly,  he  was  under  the  necessity  of 
regarding  his  four  general  heads,  as  ultimate  species,  capable  of 


228  THE   INTONATION   AT   PAUSES. 

no  further  subdivision :  and  hence,  the  limited,  the  indefinite, 
and  the  eroneous  aplication  of  his  whole  doctrine  of  Inflection  at 
Pauses.  Mr.  Walker  undertook  the  investigation  of  the  subject 
of  speech,  without  posesing  a  discriminating  ear;  without  suficient, 
if  any  familiarity  with  certain  distinctions  of  sound,  long  estab- 
lished in  music ;  and  without  seeming  to  keep  in  mind  the  means 
and  end  of  philosophical  inquiry.  The  example  of  the  highest 
masters  in  natural  science  had  taught,  that  all  he  should  aim  to 
acomplish  would  be,  to  separate  by  ear,  the  individual  and  inter- 
mingled constituents  of  speech ;  to  name  these  individuals ;  and 
to  class  them  with  known  facts  in  the  history  of  sound.  But  the 
most  precise  nomenclature,  if  not  the  most  comprehensive  history 
of  tunable  soundj  or,  sound  distinguished  from  the  endles  kinds 
of  noise,  is  contained  in  the  science  of  music:  and  Mr.  Walker 
apears  to  have  had  too  feeble  or  too  limited  a  perception,  or  no 
perception  at  all,  of  its  clear  and  abundant  distinctions,  to  enable 
him  to  recognize  an  identity,  or  analogy  between  the  speaking 
voice,  and  the  familiar  phenomena  of  musical  sounds. 

If  we  might  despair  that  future  inquiry  will  teach  us  the  struc- 
tural cause  of  the  vanishing  movement,  and  of  the  orotund,  and 
falsete  voicesj  it  is  certainly  now  within  the  ability  of  a  disciplined 
and  atentive  ear,  to  percevej  certain  forms  of  sound  suposed  to 
be  peculiar  to  the  human  voice,  are  similar  to  others  which  have 
been  acurately  measured  and  definitely  named  in  the  clasifications 
of  music ;  and  consequently,  that  they  might  be  designated  by  the 
same  nomenclature,  far  as  the  terms  of  music  are  aplicable  to  the 
phenomena  of  speech.  Such  a  method  of  investigation,  with  its 
satisfactory  results,  being  the  whole  means  and  gains  of  a  true  and 
useful  philosophy,  we  might  as  well  belevej  the  Newtonian  dis- 
coveries in  optics,  could  have  been  efected,  without  a  previous 
acquaintance  with  the  laws  of  motion,  the  variety  of  colors,  aud 
the  relations  of  mathematical  quantityj  as  look  for  a  description, 
and  an  available  arangement  of  the  phenomena  of  the  human 
voice,  from  one  who  is  ignorant  of  the  known  distinctions  of 
sound. 


THE  GROUPING   OF  SPEECH.  2^9 

SECTION  XIII. 

Of  the  Grouping  of  Speech. 

I  HAVE  adopted  a  terra  from  the  art  of  painting,  to  designate 
the  efect  of  paases,  and  of  certain  uses  of  the  voice,  in  uniting  the 
related  thots  of  discourse,  and  separating  those  which  arc  unre- 
lated to  each  other. 

The  inversions  of  style,  the  intersections  of  expletives,  and  the 
■wide  separation  of  antecedents  and  relatives,  alowed  in  poetry,  may 
be  suficiently  perspicuous,  to  the  circumspection  of  the  mind,  and 
the  advancing  span  of  the  eye,  in  the  deliberate  perusal  of  a  sen- 
tence. But  in  listening  to  reading,  or  to  speech,  we  can  employ 
no  scrutinizing  hesitation :  and  tho  the  instant  memory  may  re- 
trace to  a  certain  limit,  the  intricacies  of  construction,  the  best 
discernment  cannot  always  anticipate  the  meaning  of  a  suceding 
member,  nor  the  character  and  position  of  its  pause.  Our  higher 
poetry,  in  the  contriving  purpose  of  its  eloquence,  gives  many  in- 
stances of  extreme  involution  of  style :  and  the  reader  of  English, 
is  frequently  obliged  to  employ  other  means,  for  exhibiting  the  true 
relationship  of  words,  besides  the  simple  curent  of  uterance,  that 
may  be  suficient  for  the  obvious  syntax  of  a  more  familiar  idiom. 

The  folowing  are  some  of  the  means,  by  which  deviations  from 
the  simple  construction  of  sentences  may  be  rendered  perspicuous 
in  speech. 

The  Clausal  Limitation.  Here  the  limitation  is  produced  by 
pauses,  only  as  divisional  agents. 

The  Phrases  of  melody ;  already  in  part  explained. 

A  reduction  of  the  pitch  and  the  force  of  the  voice ;  for  which  I 
use  the  term  Abatement. 

A  quickness  of  utterance ;  here  called  the  Flight  of  the  voice. 

The  Punctuative  Reference ;  which  by  noticeable  pauses,  directs, 
or  recals  atention  to  the  syntax.     And 

A  means  of  indicating  graraatical  conection,  that  may  be  named 
the  Emphatic  Tie. 

I  have  sumcd-up  the  several  means  here  enumerated,  under  the 


230  THE   GEOUPIXG   OF  SPEECH. 

generic  term,  Grouping ;  and  have  given  each  a  specific  namej  to 
invite  atention  to  the  subject,  by  the  proposal  of  a  definite  nomen- 
clature. 

The  most  comon  form  of  grouping  the  conected  parts  or  clauses 
of  a  sentence,  under  a  given  condition  of  the  voice,  is  by  its  un- 
broken line,  within  the  boundary  of  Pauses.  The  subject  of  this 
Clausal  Limitation,  without  its  name,  is  so  extensively  treated  in 
the  Art  of  Elocution,  that  I  give  here  but  a  single  instance  of  the 
power  of  the  pause,  in  separating  to  a  certain  degree,  the  thots  of 
a  sentence,  and  in  giving  the  proper  independency  to  each.  Let 
us  take,  from  the  second  book  of  Paradise  Lost,  the  description 
of  Death's  advancing  to  meet  Satan,  on  his  arrival  at  the  gates  of 
Hell. 

Satan  was  now  at  hand  and  from  his  seat 
The  monster  moving  onward  came  as  fast 
With  horid  strides. 

I  have  omited  the  punctuation  of  these  lines ;  and  if  read  with- 
out a  pause,  they  would  not  be  absolutely  destitute  of  meaning; 
for  the  auditor  would  perceve  the  general  course  of  the  action 
described.  But  in  this  case,  there  could  be  no  expresive  picture  of 
the  whole,  from  the  conected  individuality  of  its  parts.  Here  are 
four  clauses,  or  separate  groups  of  thot,  which  should  be  indicated 
by  three  momentary  rests. 

Satan  was  now  at  handj  and  from  his  seat 
The  monster  moving^  onward  came  as  fast;j 
With  horid  strides. 

The  first  division,  ending  with  at  hand,  gives  notice  of  the  rapid 
aproach  of  Satan.  The  second  represents  the  monster  Death  rising 
from  his  scat,  and  is  insulated  by  a  pause  at  moving.  This  di- 
vision is  properly  separated  from  the  third,  onward  came  as  fast ; 
for  the  third  describing  the  further  movement  of  De:\th,  in  this 
view  might  seem  to  forbid  tlie  separation,  yet  its  principal  aim  is 
to  show  the  speed  of  his  progres,  by  comparing  it  with  that  of 
Satan  ;  and  this  justifies  the  distinction,  here  made.  The  last 
division,  with  horid  strides,  must  be  separated  from  the  preceding ; 
for  if  read,  onioard  came  as  fast  witJi  horrid  strides,  the  imediate 
conection  of  the  maner  of  movement  with  tlie  declaration  of  the 


THE   GROUPING   OF  SPEECH.  231 

likenes  between  the  time  of  it,  in  the  two  characters,  might  au- 
thorize the  conchision  that  Dciitli  was  striding,  as  fast  as  Satan 
was  striding.  Whereas  the  pause  at  fast,  refers  that  maner  of 
moving-onward  to  Death  alonej  agreeably  to  a  previous  part  of 
the  context,  where  Satan  is  described  as  moving  on  '  swift  wings.' 
Some  of  the  uses  of  the  Phrases  of  melody  were  stated  in  the 
preceding  section.  I  here  ofer  one  or  tsvo  examples  of  the  efect 
of  an  apropriate  melody,  in  carying  on  the  thot,  and  in  producing 
an  imediate  perception  of  gramatical  relationship. 

On  the  other  side, 
Incensed  with  indignation,  Satan  stood 
TJnterified,  and  like  a  Comet  burned, 
That  fires  the  length  of  Ophiuchus  huge, 
In  the  arctic  sky. 

Should  the  phrase  of  the  falling  ditone  be  used  at  the  necesary 
coma-pause  after  burned,  it  will,  to  the  ear,  destroy  the  gramatical 
concord  between  the  relative  that  and  the  antecedent,  comet.  By 
aplying  a  monotone  to  the  two  words  in  italics,  the  concord  will 
be  properly  marked,  notwithstanding  the  intervening  pause  at 
burned;  the  grouping  power  of  the  melody,  in  this  case,  counter- 
acting the  dividing  agency  of  the  pause. 

A  similar  instance  of  the  power  of  the  monotone,  in  efecting  a 
close  conection  of  the  antecedent  with  the  relative,  is  shown  at  the 
pause  after  unheard,  in  the  folowing  lines : 

First,  Moloch,  horrid  king,  besmeared  with  blood 
.  Of  human  sacrifice,  and  parents'  tears ; 
Though,  for  the  noise  of  drums  and  timbrels  loud. 
Their  children's  cries  unheard,  that  pased  thru  fire 
To  his  grim  idol. 

Let  us  take  one  more  example  of  this  principle  of  a  grouping 
intonation  : 

Art  thou  that  traitor-angel,  art  thou  he 

Who  first  broke  peace  in  heaven,  and  faiihi  till  then 

Unbroken  ? 

In  this  pa.sage  the  phrase,  in  heaven,  is  interposed  between  peace 
and  faith,  the  two  objectives  of  broke.     That  the  syntactic  concc- 


232  THE  GROUPING  OF  SPEECH. 

tion  betAveen  these  words  may  be  impresively  shown,  the  slightest 
pause  only  is  admisible  after  heaven  ;  and  a  more  conspicuous  one 
must  be  placed  after  faith.  But  the  further  expletive,  till  then 
unbroken,  is  iraediately  conected  with  faith ;  and  the  only  means 
for  representing  this  close  relationship,  in  contravention  to  the 
delay  of  the  pausej  so  necesary,  after  faith,  for  another  point  of 
perspicuity^  is  by  using  the  phrase  of  the  rising  ditone,  or  the 
monotone,  on  and  faith.  The  pause  at  this  word,  represents 
clearly  the  full  government  of  the  verb  brokej  while  the  contin- 
uative  phrase,  either  of  a  monotone  or  rising  ditone,  at  that  pause, 
prevents  its  disolving  the  conection  of  the  previous  meaning  with 
the  suceding  expletive  clause,  till  then  unbroken.  The  pages  of 
the  higher  Poets  are  full  of  instances  of  phraseology  that  require 
the  management  of  the  voice  here  described.  Milton  and  Shak- 
speare  cannot  be  read  well,  without  strict  atention  to  the  aparent 
©position  between  the  purposes  of  the  pause  and  of  the  thot,  and 
to  the  Reconciling  Power  of  the  phrases  of  melody. 

A  reduction  of  the  Pitch,  and  Force  of  the  voice  being  gener- 
ally combined  in  reading,  I  have,  in  this  section,  designated  them 
colectively,  by  a  single  term.  Abatement ;  which  is  in  most  cases, 
to  be  read  in  the  diatonic  melody.  Its  power  of  grouping  to- 
gether the  related  parts  of  a  sentence,  is  exemplified  by  the  Avell 
known  uterance,  in  an  explanatory  parenthesis. 

I  come  now  to  speak  of  the  j)erspicuity,  to  be  given  to  a  sen- 
tence, by  the  Flight  of  the  voice.  There  is  a  familiar  rule  in 
elocution,  which  directs  us  to  use  a  quickened  utterance  on  com- 
mon expletive  clauses.  This  function  may  be  extended  to  other 
gramatical  constructions.  I  give  it  here  the  importance  of  a  name 
and  an  ilustration,  from  its  afording  asistant  means  for  represent- 
ing the  meaning  of  some  of  those  instances  of  close-trimed  phrase- 
ology and  extreme  inversion,  ocasionaly  found  in  the  higher  poetical 
composition. 

In  the  following  example,  the  part  requiring  the  flight  of  the 
voice  is  marked  in  italics. 

You  and  I  have  heard  our  fathers  say; 
There  was  a  Brutus  once,  that  would  liavo  brook'd 
The  eternal  Devil  to  keep  his  state  in  Rotne 

As  easily,  as  a  king. 


THE  GROUPING  OF  SPEECH.  233 

Tlic  wortl  easily,  here  qualifies  the  verb  brook' d  ;  and  one  of  the 
means  for  impresing  this  on  the  auditor,  is  by  the  rapid  flight  here 
directed.  A  London  edition  of  Reed's  Shakspeare,  from  wliich 
this  pas>'=!age  is  quoted,  lias  a  pause  after  Rome.  As  the  purpose 
of  the  flight  consists  in  alowing  the  shortest  time  between  the 
uterance  of  related  words,  it  would  suply  the  omision  of  this 
pause,  to  make  a  slight  one  after  easily.  This  tends  to  prevent  the 
adverb  from  passing  as  a  qualification  of  keeping  his  state,  which 
certainly  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  the  author;  but  which  on 
instant  hearing,  might  otherwise,  be  mistaken  for  it,  without  the 
aid  of  the  altered  pause  and  the  flight.  This  is  not  the  place  to 
speak  of  the  nice  points  of  emphasis  and  of  melody,  to  be  em- 
ployed M'ith  the  flight  in  this  pasagej  to  give  clearnes  and  strength 
to  its  effect. 

Say  first,  for  Heaven,  hides  nothing  fro7n  thy  view 
Nor  the  deep  tract  of  Hell. 

To  make  it  apear  at  once  in  speech,  that  the  deep  tract  of  hell  is 
equaly  with  heaven,  a  nominative  to  hides'^  the  phrase  of  the  mono- 
tone must  be  aplied  at  vieio,  with  the  flight  of  the  voice  on  the 
portion  marked  in  italics ;  and  a  pause  set  after  heaven,  and  re- 
moved from  view,  where  the  editor  has  marked  it. 

If  the  gramarian  should  raise  objections  to  any  of  these  proposed 
changes  of  punctuation,  he  must  recur  to  the  design  of  this  section. 
AVe  speak  now  of  the  means  of  adresing  the  ear ;  and  its  jealous 
demands  sometimes  require  a  separation  of  close  grammatical  re- 
lations ;  and  sometimes  justify  a  neglect  of  the  usual  temporal 
rests,  from  the  thot  and  expresion  in  these  cases  being  more  ob- 
vious without  them.  The  art  of  reading-well  may  com|)ensate  for 
voluntary  faults  on  some  points,  by  the  acomplishment  of  eminent 
efects  on  others. 

What  we  call  the  Punctuative  Reference,  or  grouping,  is  another 
means  for  bringing  together  words,  or  clauses,  separated  by  gram- 
atical  construction ;  as  in  the  folowing  example : 

Having  the  wisdom  to  forescej  he  took  measures 
to  prevents  the  disaster. 

Here  the  fact  of  the  disaster  should  be  imediately  conected  with 
16 


234  THE  GEOUPIXG  OF  SPEECH. 

the  thot  both  of  foreseeing,  and  preventing :  yet  by  construction, 
foresee  is  separated  from  disaster;  and  without  a  pause  at  prevent, 
the  momentary  ateution  to  the  imediate  agency  of  this  verb  on 
disaster,  might  obscure  the  relation  between  foresee  and  disaster. 
In  this  case,  foresee  might  pass  for  an  intransitive  verb.  With 
the  dicomas,  the  similar  pauses  at  foresee,  and  prevent,  by  making 
them  emphatic  words,  asign  the  former  to  its  objective  casej  and 
conecting  these  words  as  fellow  transitives,  throw,  by  punctuative 
reference,  their  action  together  on  disaster. 

>  Take  another  example,  from  Thomson's  charming  episode,  of 
Lavinia, 

By  solitude,  and  deep  surrounding  shadesj 
But  more,  by  bashful  modesty^  concealed. 

Here,  without  the  directive  grouping  of  the  dicoma  at  shades, 
and  at  modesty,  the  j)icture  of  Thot  might  be  obscuredj  and  we 
should  perhaps  overlook  the  beautiful  contrast  between  the  uncon- 
scious and  closer  self-concealment,  and  that  of  the  previously 
described  humble  and  retired  cottage  in  the  vale. 

The  following,  from  Co^\'}^er's  picture  of  the  Empres  of  Russia's 
Palace  of  Ice,  in  his  '  Winter  Morning  Walk,'  may  be  taken  as 
an  instance  under  this  head. 

Less  worthy  of  aplauso;?  the  more  admired, 
Because  a  novelty,  the  work  of  man, 
Imperial  Mistres  of  the  fur-clad  Russ^ 
Thy  most  maijnificent  and  mighty  freak. 
The  wonder  of  the  North. 

The  four  parenthetic  phrases  in  these  lines,  between  applause 
and  Muss,  produce  a  slight  intricacyj  which  requires  the  dicoma 
and  its  rest  at  these  words,  to  bring  togcthci',  on  the  field  of  ateu- 
tion, the  clause  that  precedes  the  former,  and  folows  the  latter ; 
and  to  make  the  impresive  comparison  between  the  works  of  na- 
ture, previously  described,  and  this  fantastic  efort,  in  the  works 
of  art. 

I  here  remind  the  Reader  that  the  use  of  the  dicoma,  in  punc- 
tuative grouping  is  pointed  out  under  the  fourtli  head  of  our  ex- 
planation of  the  jnirposcs  of  this  symbol;  in  bounding  a  ]>arcnthcsis, 
and  directing  ateution  to  the  extremes  of  the  included  member ; 


THE   GROUPING   OF  SPEECH.  235 

for  the  punctuative  reference;  as  well  as  tlie  emphatic  tie  to  he 
presently  explained,  is  one  of  the  aplications  of  the  principle  of 
parcnthotio  elocution. 

In  the  folowing  sentence,  the  punctuative  grouping  may  give 
clearnes  to  the  reading  ;  but  this  cannot  reconcile  us  to  the  aM'k- 
wardnes  of  its  disjointed  syntax. 

After  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  save  himself 
from^  he  took  especial  care,  never  to  fall 
again  into^  the  poluted  stream  of  ambition. 

]\Iueh  more  might  here  be  properly  said  on  the  clasification  of 
sentences,  and  on  the  time  of  pausing.  With  the  Principle  here 
exemjilifieil,  furtlier  inquiry  is  left  to  the  discrimination  and  taste 
of  others.  Both  reading  and  speech  abound  with  ocasions  for  the 
use  of  this  punctuative  reference ;  but  care  must  be  taken  to  avoid 
the  afectation  of  its  use,  in  gramatical  arangements,  where  the 
style  may  be  rendered  perspicuous  without  it. 

"We  have  made  a  distinction  between  the  Clausal  limitation 
M'ithin  the  boundary  of  pauses,  and  this  Punctuative  grouping. 
The  former  keeps  together  sectional  groups  of  conected  thots ;  the 
later  brings  together  separated  clauses  and  words,  with  their  thots; 
and  both  unite  their  influence,  for  the  just  and  expresive  elocution 
of  those  parentheses,  usualy  bounded  by  the  linear  Dash.  We 
have  therefore  dispensed  with  the  use  of  this  symbol ;  its  purpose 
being  cfected,  both  in  silent  perusal  and  in  speech,  quite  as  efica- 
ciously,  and  with  greater  neatness  to  the  eye,  by  the  dicoma,  with 
its  punctuative  reference;  which  suspends  the  mciining  of  tha- 
member  preceding  the  first  pause,  for  continuation,  after  the  second. 

By  the  grouping  of  Emphasis  or  what  is  here  called  the  Em- 
phatic Tie,  I  mean  the  apiication  of  stres,  and  perhaps  in  some 
cases,  of  vocality,  quantity,  and  intonationj  to  words,  not  other- 
wise requiring  distinction^  for  joining  those  words  and  thots  which 
cannot,  by  any  other  means  of  vocal  syntax,  be  brought  together- 
or  exhibited  in  their  true  gramatical  conection.  The  agency  of 
this  form  of  grouping,  like  that  of  the  last,  which  we  may  now 
call  the  Punctuative  Tic,  is  easily  ])ercevedj  for  related  words- 
however  separated,  are  at  once  brought  together  in  their  real  rela- 
tionships, within  the  field  of  hearing,  whenever  they  are  raised 


236  THJ5  GROUPING   OF  SPEECH. 

into  atractive  Importance,  by  pause,  or  by  force  or  other  means  of 
emphasis. 

The  following  lines,  from  Collins'  'Ode  on  the  Passions/ 
embrace  a  construction,  requiring  the  emphatic  tie. 

When  Cheerfulnes,  a  Nymph  of  healthiest  hue, 

Her  bow  acros  her  shoulder  flung, 

Her  buskins  gemm'd  \yith  morning  dew, 

Blew  an  mspiring  ai?-}  that  dale  and  thicket  rung;} 

The  hunter's  call,  to  Faun  and  Dryad'  known. 

.  The  last  two  lines  have  an  embarassing  construction.  The 
phrases  inspiring  air,  and  hunter's  call  are  in  aposition ;  but  there 
intervenes  a  clause,  that  might  make  rung  pass  for  an  active  verb, 
and  thereby  render  call  the  objective  to  it.  To  show  therefore, 
that  by  hunter-'s  call  the  author  means  the  inspiring  air,  pre- 
viously mentioned,  the  words  marked  in  italics  should  receive 
emphatic  stres.  This  is  the  best  means  for  clearly  impresing  on 
the  ear,  that  close  relationship,  which,  is  interupted  by  the  con- 
struction. ^.  ,■.,.'-]■    %;.a\     f./.;^     ,r.orir..r   •■ 

..This  emphatic  tie  is  often  employed  in  combination  with  other 
means  of  grouping.  In  the  several  examples  ilustrating  the  use 
of  the  phrases  of  melody,  their  influence  will  be  asisted  by  aply- 
ing  this  conecting  emphasis  to  comet  and  fires;  children's  and 
posed;  peace  and  faith.  In  the  examples  of  the  flight,  the  rela- 
tionships between  the  words  brook'd  and  easily;  and  between 
heaven  hides  nothing,  and  nor  the  deep  tract  of  hell;  and  in  the 
punctuative  grouping,  the  reference  of  disaster  to  both  foresee  and 
prevent^  of  concealment  to  shades  and  modesti/j  and  of  mighty  freak, 
to  applausej  will  be  more  manifest,  by  the  additional  use  of  the 
emphatic  tie. 

It  is  sometimes  necesary  to  employ  all  the  means  of  grouping 
upon  a  single  sentence,  for  conecting  an  iregular  syntax,  and  suply- 
ing  an  elipsis  to  the  ear.  The  extreme  distortion  of  English  idiom 
in  the  folowing  lines,  must  be  excedingly  perplexing  to  a  reader ; 
and,  far  as  I  perceve  the  meaning  and  the  graniar,  can  be  rendered 
somewhat  less  embarassing,  only  by  the  use  of  all  these  means. 
The  example  is  taken  from  the  fourth  book  of  Paradise  Lost,  at 
the  end  of  Satan's  addrcs  to  the  sun. 


THE    GROUPING   OF  SPEECH.  237 

Thus  while  he  spake,  each  pasionj  dim'J  his  face 
Thrice  chaiig'd  with  palej  ire,  envy,  and  despair; 
"Which  mar'd  his  borow'd  visage,  and  betray'd 
Him  counterfeit,  if  any  eye  beheld. 

Milton  uses  the  word  pale,  here,  and  again  near  the  close  of  his 
tenth  book,  as  a  substantive.  Its  comon  adjective-meaning  tends 
to  throw  some  confusion  into  the  sentence.  Ire,  envy,  and  despair, 
are  in  aposition  with  pasion,  and  are  severaly  concordant  witli  the 
distributive  pronoun  each.  The  only  maner  in  which  I  can  aproxi- 
mate  towards  a  clear  representation  of  this  blamable  piece  of  latinity, 
is  by  making  a  quick  flight  over  the  portion,  dim'd  his  face  thrice 
changed  with  pale,  and  by  an  abatement  thereon  ;  by  laying  a  strong 
emphasis  on  each  pasion,  and  on  ii'e,  envy,  and  despair,  to  mark  the 
concord,  by  the  emphatic  tie ;  by  using  the  punctuative  reference 
at  pasion  and  pale;  and  by  aplying  the  dicoma,  with  the  mono- 
tone or  the  rising  ditone,  to  both  these  words. 

After  all,  it  is  a  hard  picture  to  paint,  for  a  taste  that  will  have 
true  colors,  well  laid-on.  Perhaps  another  hand,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  our  principles,  may  efect  its  expresion  by  some  more  apro- 
priate  touch. 

In  this  and  the  preceding  section,  we  have  been  more  ocupied 
with  the  audible  means  of  marking  the  thotive  meaning  of  dis- 
course, than  with  the  signs  of  expresion.  But  some  meaning  in 
language  must  always  be  embraced  by  what  we  distinctively  caled 
the  pasionative  style.  '  ^-  '    '  "" 

I  would  here  point  out  to  the  clasical  scholar,  a  resemblance  in 
the  proces  and  purpose  of  the  punctuative  reference,  and  of  the 
emphatic  tie,  to  that  of  the  circumspect  atention,  always  exercised 
in  construing  a  Latin  sentence.  The  English  language  has  few 
variable  terminations  of  noun,  pronoun,  verb  and  adjectivej  by 
which  their  concord  and  government  might  be  instantly  perceved, 
however  the  parts  of  speech  might  be  in  positicm  disjoined  from 
each  other.  In  English  tliereforc,  as  in  some  other  languages,  the 
eoastruction  is  indicated,  principaly  by  the  proximate,  or  what  is 
cale<l  the  natural,  sucesion  of  words. 

The  Latin  language  has  in  its  varied  gramatical  forms,  the  means 
for  instant  conection  of  all  its  related  parts :  hence,  the  mind  is 
able  to  make  at  once,  a  clear  and  exact  picture  of  the  meaning  of 


238  THE   GROUPING   OF   SPEECH. 

discourse j  by  aranging  its  proper  order,  how  -wndely  soever  the 
words  may  be  separated.  The  case  of  the  adjective  imediately 
joining  itself  to  tlie  case  of  tlie  nounj  the  verb  pointing  out  its 
agent  and  its  objectj  the  preposition,  its  subjectj  thereby  gramaticaly 
unite  or  group  the  individual  parts  of  speech,  however  scatered 
thruout  the  sentence.  This  dispersed  position  of  related  yet  self- 
uniting  words,  which  is  conspicuously  used  in  the  Latin  language, 
is  called  in  rhetoric,  the  figure  of  Hyperbaton;  and  the  choice  of 
arangement  alowed  in  the  apropriate  use  of  its  various  sjiecies,  is 
a  principal  source  of  the  impresive  rythraus,  vividnes,  and  strength, 
in  Latin  construction.  The  atention  of  the  Roman  orator,  and  of 
his  educated  or  even  of  his  iliterate  audience,  must  have  been 
closely,  but  from  habit  almost  unpercevedly,  ocupied  in  gathering, 
by  gramatical  relations  alone,  every  word  to  its  significant  place  on 
the  field  of  the  sentence.  And  this  may  be  a  cause,  why  punctua- 
tion, at  least  like  ours,  was  unecesary  or  disregarded  both  in  Greek 
and  Roman  composition.  The  English  language  has  not  the  self- 
adjusting  concordance  and  government  of  the  Ancient  gramar; 
and  we  are  therefore,  under  its  loosely  conected  verbal  relations, 
obliged  to  employ,  among  other  means  for  perspicuity,  beyond  its 
comon  pointsj  that  of  the  emphatic  tie,  the  flight,  the  pause,  and 
the  punctuative  grouping,  to  draw  a  wandering  atention  to  separated, 
yet  related  words  and  clauses,  where  the  syntax,  without  this  con- 
struing by  time  and  stress,  might  be  intricate  or  uninteligible. 

I  have  pointcd-out  a  similarity,  in  principle,  between  the  Latin 
grammatical,  and  the  English  vocal  methods  of  obviating  any  eror 
or  obscurity,  incident  to  a  hyperbatic  syntax  :  the  Avhole  meaning 
of  the  sentence,  being  in  one  case,  signified  by  the  verbal  signs  of 
concord  and  government ;  and  of  some  particular  meaning  in  the 
other,  by  vocaly  notifying  the  ear  of  those  displaced  relationships, 
not  otherwise  restorable,  than  thru  an  impresive  agency,  respectively 
of  the  acent  and  the  pause. 

In  the  present  section,  and  in  other  ]>arts  of  this  esay,  tlie  cx- 
emplifiaitions  are  chiefly  extracted  from  two  ilustrious  Poets;  and 
from  some  of  those  who,  directed  by  the  same  great  Principles  of 
their  Art,  are  next  to  them  in  the  briglit  brevity  of  the  truthful 
and  expresive  Practice  of  it ;  since  the  boundles  r.uigc  of  their 
expresive  reflectionsj  the  aresting,  but  resolvable  intricacy  of  their 


THE   RISING  OCTAVE.  239 

stylcj  the  thotful  bearing  of  their  emphasisj  together  with  the  in- 
sii^nificjiiice  of  scarcely  a  wortlj  aford  every  variety  of  j)lain  and  of 
pa.'^ionative  construction,  for  exercising  the  ful-suficient,  and  ilunii- 
nating  jx>wer8  of  the  voice.  And  as  the  greater  includes  the  less, 
I  am  persuaded,  that  should  the  principles  therein  esta])lishod  be 
adoj)tetl  by  the  Reader,  he  will  have  no  great  dificulty  in  aplying 
them,  to  more  simple  styles  of  conversation,  of  narative,  and  of 
impasioned  discourse,  both  in  poetry  and  prose.  Yet  when  drawn 
aside,  from  the  ]>erfection  of  Nature  in  the  human  voice,  to  eulo- 
gize the  admirable  things  of  intelect,  which  it  is  intended  and  ready 
to  display ;  let  me  again  repeat j  I  have  taken  upon  me,  not  the 
part  of  the  Rhetorician,  but  merely  of  a  Physiologist  of  Speech. 


SECTION   XIV. 
Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Octave, 

Ix  the  foregoing  sections,  the  efect  of  Pitch  was  described,  only 
as  it  is  heard  in  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement  thru  the 
interval  of  a  single  tone. 

It  was  shown,  under  the  head  of  the  melody  of  simple  Nara- 
tive style,  that  the  vanish  never  rises  above  the  interval  of  a  tone ; 
and  that  changes  of  radical  pitch,  either  upward  or  downward 
never  excede  the  limits  of  this  same  interval.  Now,  such  plain 
melody  as  then  suposed  is  rarely  found  of  long  continuance ;  but 
to  avoid  confusing  the  subject,  I  defered  the  notice  of  those  vari- 
ations of  concrete  and  of  discrete  interval,  which  are  ocasionaly 
interspersed  thruout  its  curent.  Tlie  wider  intervals  of  jiitch  used 
for  Exjiresion  in  the  course  of  a  diatonic  melody,  are  now  to  be 
described. 

By  the  term  rising  Octave,  whether  concrete  or  discrete,  aplied 
to  sjKjech,  is  meant  the  movement  of  the  voice,  from  any  asumed 
radicid  place,  thru  higher  parts  of  the  scale,  until  it  terminates  in 
the  eighth  degree  above  that  radical  place.     This  interval  is  em- 


240  THE  RISING  OCTAVE. 

ployed  for  interogative  expression ;  and  for  surprise,  astonishment, 
and  admiration,  when  they  imply  a  degree  of  doubt  or  inquiry. 
It  is  further  used,  for  the  emphatic  distinction  of  words.  Nor  is  it 
limited  to  phrases,  having  the  comon  gramatical  forms  of  a  ques- 
tion ;  for  even  declaratory  sentences  are  made  interogative  by  the 
use  of  this  interval. 

The  pitch  in  interogation,  and  emphasis,  may  sometimes  rise 
both  concretely  and  discretely,  above  the  octave  of  the  natural 
voice,  and  even  into  the  falsetej  still  the  octave  is  the  widest  in- 
terval of  the  speaking  scale,  technicaly  regarded  in  this  Work. 
It  expreses  therefore  the  most  forcible  degree  of  interogation,  and 
of  emphasis ;  and  is  the  pasionative  interval  for  questions  acom- 
panied  with  sneer,  contempt,  mirth,  railery,  and  the  temper  or 
triumph  of  peevish  or  indignant  argument. 

From  the  time  required  in  drawing-out  the  concrete  interval  of 
an  octave,  this  form  of  interogation  can  be  executed  conspicuously, 
only  on  a  sylable  of  extended  quantity.  How  then  can  the  inter- 
ogative expresion  be  given  to  a  short  and  imutable  sylable  ?  The 
means  for  efecting  this,  will  be  described  hereafter,  with  particular 
reference  to  interogative  sentences.  It  may  be  here  transiently 
ilustrated  by  the  folowing  notation  : 


——A — ^^^—f£ — cT — ^ — -/- 


In  this  diagram,  after  the  first  concrete  rise  of  an  octave,  on  a 
long  sylablej  a  discrete  change  or  skip  is  made  from  the  line  of  its 
radiad,  to  a  line  along  the  hight  of  its  vanish.  Now  imutable 
sylables,  in  an  interogative  sentence,  are  transfcred  by  this  discrete 
or  radical  change,  to  a  line  of  pitch  at  the  sumit  of  the  concrete 
interogative  intervalj  and  discretely  prcxluce  tlie  expresive  efect  of 
that  interval,  yet  less  remarkably  than  the  indefinite  sylables 
which  pass  the  same  extent  of  the  scale  by  the  concrete  rise.  As 
there  are  more  short  and  unacentcd  than  long  and  ai'ented  syla- 
bles in  discourse,  the  radical  change  here  described  contributes 
largely  to  the  character  of  an  interogative  intonation.     The  dia- 


THE   RISING   FIPTH.  241 

gram  shows,  that  after  the  radical  pitch  of  a  short  quantity  has 
asume<l  the  suniit-line  of  the  octave,  it  proccdcs  in  tlie  diatonic 
siicesion  on  that  line,  until  the  ocurencc  of  an  indefinite  sylablcj 
when  the  radical  pitch  descends,  to  form  a  new  concrete  rise  of  the 
octave.  It  apearsj  the  rule  of  intonation,  laid  down  when  de- 
scribing the  diatonic  melody  of  simple  naration,  docs  not  aply  to 
the  melody  of  interogative  sentences;  for  these  employ  a  more 
extended  concrete  interval,  and  a  wider  discrete  transition  in  their 
changes  of  radical  pitch. 

When  an  octave  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  emphasis,  the  voice, 
after  its  concrete  rise  on  the  emphatic  word,  imediately  descends 
to  the  original  line  of  radical  pitch,  as  in  the  folowing  notation : 


But  this  subject  of  emphasis  will  be  considered  particularly, 
hereafter. 

The  concrete  rising  octave  and  its  radical  change  being  em- 
ployed for  very  earnest  interogation,  and  for  a  high  degree  of  ex- 
presive  emphasisj  are  of  less  frequent  ocurence  in  speech,  than  the 
intervals  of  the  fifth  and  the  third. 


SECTION   XV. 

Of  (lie  Interval  of  the  Rising  Fifth. 

The  rising  radical  and  vanishing  Fifth,  like  that  of  the  octave, 
is  interogative ;  and  emphaticidy  exprcscs  wonder,  admiration,  and 
congenial  states  of  mind,  when  they  embrace  a  slight  degree  of  in- 
quiry or  doubt.  It  has  however,  less  of  the  smart  inquisitivcncs 
of  this  last  interval ;  is  the  most  comon  form  of  interogative  into- 


242  THE   EISIXG    FIFTH. 

nation ;  and  without  having  the  piercing  force  of  the  octave,  may 
be  equaly  energetic,  and  is  always  more  dignified  in  its  expresion. 
The  explanatory  remarks  in  the  last  section,  on  the  subject  of  the 
change  of  radical  pitch  in  interrogation  and  emphasis,  apply  to 
the  like  uses  of  the  fifth.  For  after  the  voice,  in  adaj3ting  itself 
to  short  quantities,  has  made  a  discrete  change  of  radical  pitch  by 
the  interval  of  a  fifth,  the  suceding  melody  continues  at  its  eleva- 
tion, till  again  brought  down  for  the  purpose  of  a  new  concrete 
rise.  And  in  like  maner,  after  the  use  of  the  fifth  for  emphatic 
distinction  on  a  single  word,  the  pitch  iraediately  returns  to  the 
original  line  of  the  curent  melody. 

From  the  preceding  acount  of  the  intonation  of  the  octave  and 
of  the  fifth,  we  learnj  their  efects  are  conizable  under  two  diferent 
formsj  the  Concrete  rise,  and  the  Radical  change;  that  the  octave 
is  impresed  more  remarkably  on  the  ear ;  and  that  the  distinction 
between  the  interogative,  and  the  emphatic  use  of  these  intervals, 
consists  generaly  in  the  diference  of  the  number  of  sylablcs,  to 
which  they  are  respectively  aplied. 

It  was  saidj  the  intonation  of  the  octave,  either  by  concrete  or 
by  radical  pitch,  is  rarely  employed ;  as  a  rise  of  eight  degrees 
above  the  ordinary  line  of  uterance  caries  most  speakers  into  the 
falsete.  And  even  with  those  in  whom  the  rise  might  not  excede 
the  natural  voicej  the  suden  ascent  of  radical  pitch  would  in  some 
cases  be  ludicrous,  from  its  contrast  with  the  curent  melody ; 
would  be  liable  to  break  into  the  falsete,  if  varied  at  its  higher 
pitch ;  or  would  be  beyond  the  limit  of  the  speaker's  skilful  exe- 
cution. These  objections  do  not  apply  to  an  ocasional  skip  of 
radical  pitch  in  its  ascent  of  the  fifth ;  the  variation  being  less 
striking  by  contrast ;  and  the  interval  of  a  fifth  above  the  curent 
melody,  being  generaly  within  the  range  of  the  natural  voice. 

Besides  the  above  described  uses  of  the  octave  and  fil'th,  some 
canting  forms  of  exclamation,  and  other  familiar  voices  in  comon 
life,  are  made  on  these  intervals.     They  require  no  further  nt)ticc. 


THE   RISING   THIRD.  24S 

SECTIOX  XVI. 

Oj  the  Intei^al  of  the  Rising   Third. 

Thp:  rising  Third,  in  both  its  concrete  and  discrete  forms,  like 
the  two  last  named  intervals,  is  used  for  interogative  cxpresion, 
and  for  omj^hasis.  But  its  degree  in  both  these  cases  is  less  than 
that  of  the  fifth.  It  is  the  sign  of  interogation  in  its  most  mod- 
erate form  ;  and  conveys  none  of  those  states  of  mind  which,  jointly 
with  the  question,  were  alottcd  to  those  other  movements. 

Besides  the  exceptions  to  the  rule  of  tlic  plain  diatonic  melody, 
by  an  ocasional  use  of  the  octave  and  fifth,  it  must  now  be  aded, 
that  the  general  curent  of  the  tone  is  further  varied,  by  the  intro- 
duction of  the  concrete  third,  and  its  radical  change.  It  ocurs  more 
frequently  than  the  two  former ;  for,  altlio  more  rarely  than  the 
fifth,  as  an  interogative,  it  is  a  comon  form  of  moderate  emphatic 
intonation.  In  describing  the  })hrases  of  melody,  it  was  said,  the 
rising  tritone  or  upward  sucession  of  three  radicals  on  as  many 
sylables,  is  ocasionaly  employed.  On  the  scale,  three  radical  places 
contain  the  interval  of  a  third ;  it  is  therefore  the  space  or  inter- 
val ocupied  by  the  constituents  of  a  tritone,  rejecting  the  vanish 
of  the  last,  that  makes  the  proper  rising  concrete  third :  yet  this 
concrete  interogative  is  more  impresive  than  the  discrete  rise  of  the 
sucesive  radicals  of  the  tritone ;  for  if  the  words.  Go  you  there',  in 
gramar,  equaly  a  comand  and  a  question j  be  utered  in  the  phrase 
of  the  rising  tritone,  with  a  downward  vanish  on  each  of  its  syla- 
bles, it  will  have  the  character  of  an  imperative  sentence.  Should 
the  first  word  rise  concretely  a  third,  thru  the  space  embraced  by 
the  radicals  of  the  tritone,  and  the  last  two  be  continued  in  their 
rising  radical  sucesionj  the  efcct  will  be  interogative,  even  if  the 
last  two  should  bear  the  downward  vanish.  Tlie  same  will  be  the 
efect  when  the  second  word  has  the  concrete,  and  the  last  the 
radical  change ;  or,  Avhen  the  first  and  second  have  the  comon 
diatonic  melody,  and  the  last  alone,  the  concrete  rise ;  showing  the 
marked  diference  in  efect  between  the  concrete  rise  of  a  third,  and 
a  rise  by  three  proximate  radicals  of  the  same  extent. 


244  THE   RISING  THIED. 

There  is  a  form  of  replication  in  comon  speech  especialy  used 
by  the  Scots,  consisting  of  a  repetition  of  the  afirmative  yes  or  aye, 
in  the  rising  third ;  and  while  the  words  seem  to  pay  the  courtesy 
of  asent,  the  interogative  character  of  the  intonation  still  insinuates 
the  hesitation  of  doubt  or  surprise.  Should  the  interogative  asent, 
implied  by  these  words  be  of  unusual  energy,  the  expresion  will 
asume  the  form  of  the  fifth,  or  octave. 

When  the  Reader  has  acquired  the  prefatory  knowledge,  neces- 
ary  for  the  full  comprehension  of  the  subject  of  EmphasLsj  it  will 
be  definitely  explained,  in  what  maner,  and  on  what  ocasions  the 
octave,  fifth,  and  third,  are  employed  in  this  important  function  of 
corect  and  impresive  speech.  But  as  the  emphasis  given  to  promi- 
nent words  of  concesive,  conditional,  and  hypothetical  sentences, 
caries  with  it,  the  latent  character  of  an  interogatory,  its  aplication 
may  properly  be  ilustrated  here.  The  folowing  examples  of  con- 
ditionality  and  concesion  call  for  one  of  the  wider  rising  intervals, 
on  the  words  marked  in  italics:    ,  .  . 

Then  ^vhoi  I  am  thy  captive  talk  of.qhaiiis, 

Proud  limitary  Cherub  1   but  ere  then, 

Far  heavier  load'  thyself  expect  to  feel 

From  my  prevailing  arm,  though  Heaven's  king 

Kide  on  thy  wings,  j.j  ^i   .  xmv^^  ^  },, 

So  in  the  hypothesis  of  the  folowing  sentence : 

If  I  must  contend,  said  he, 
Best  with  the  best,  the  sender,  not  the  sent. 

And  the  same  with  the  exceptive  phrase  marked  in  these  lines : 

The  undaunted  fiend  what  tliis  might  be,  admired ; 
Admired,  not  fear'd.     God  and  his  Son  except, 
Created  thing  naught  valued  he,  nor  shuned. 

•  It  is  unecesary  to  say,  which  of  the  wider  intervals  is  to  be  set 
respectively,  on  the  strong  words  of  these  examples.  The  eitiitions 
were  made,  to  show  that  the  rising  third,  fifth,  or  octave,  may  be 
used  on  tlie  emphatic  sylables  of  such  sentences. 

The  interval  of  the  minor  third,  as  wo  learned  in  the  first  sec- 
tion, consists  of  one  tone  and  n  half.     It  has  a  plaintive  expresion. 


THE   INTONATION   OF   INTERROGATIVE   SENTENCES.        243 

but  is  not,  far  as  I  Imve  observed,  employed  in  specdi  for  any  of 
those  purpo.sos  of  interogation,  conditional ity,  or  concesion,  wliieli 
arc  here  ascribed  to  the  major  third. 

It  may  perhaps  be  useful  in  this  place,  for  the  Header  to  take  a 
rctrosi)ect  over  the  subject  of  melody,  so  far  described ;  and  to  look 
upon  it  as  consisting  of  the  diatonic  phrases  formerly  enumcratedj 
varied  for  the  purposes  of  intcrogation,  and  of  emi)hasis,  by  the 
ocasional  introduction  of  the  wider  rising  intervals  of  the  octave, 
fifth,  and  third.  In  speaking  of  the  melody  of  simple  narative, 
the  radical  changes  of  that  style  were  reduced  to  seven  elementary 
phrases.  It  may  be  suposedj  the  further  use  of  these  wider  inter- 
vals, in  the  transitions  of  radical  pitch,  justifies  an  aditional  nomen- 
clature, for  the  phnuses  employetl  in  expresion.  It  does;  and  the 
Phrases  of  the  Eighth,  the  Fifth,  and  the  Third,  when  the  transi- 
tion is  made  by  radical  skip,  either  in  an  upward  or  downward 
direction,  are  the  terms  for  designating,  if  necesary,  these  new 
forms  of  melodial  progresion  in  speech. 


SECTION  XVII. 

Of  the  Intonation  of  Interogative  Sentences. 

Having  asigned  an  interogative  expresion  to  the  rising  octave, 
fifth,  and  third,  I  defer  for  a  moment,  the  history  of  the  remaining 
forms  of  pitch,  to  describe  the  maner  of  employing  those  intervals 
in  the  course  of  an  interogative  sentence ;  thereby  to  learn,  how 
they  are  related  both  to  its  curent  melody,  and  to  its  cadence. 

With  a  view  to  exhibit  the  striking  efect  of  tJie  interogative 
intervals,  let  us  take  the  folowing  declaratory  or  asertive  sen- 
tence, as  contradistinguished  from  the  gramatical  constructions  that 
gencraly  indicate  a  question  : 

Give  Brutus  a  statue  with  liis  ancestors. 
This  sentence  denotes  an  intention  to  honor  the  patriot ;  is  im- 


246  THE   INTONATION 

perative  in  its  purpose ;  and  this  is  expresed  by  a  downward  move- 
ment on  every  sylable.  But  if  the  versatile  plebean  should  the 
next  moment  have  a  new  light  of  discernment  or  caprice,  he  might 
afect  to  refuse  the  honorary  tribute,  by  repeating  the  very  w^ords  of 
the  decree,  with  the  sneering  intonation  of  a  question : 

Give  Brutus  a  statue  with  his  ancestors? 

The  diference  of  the  state  of  mind  or  the  meaning,  in  these  two 
instances  would  be  perceptible  to  every  hearer:  nor  could  the 
altered  intention  of  the  speaker,  in  the  last  case  be  mistaken. 
The  ironical  character  or  efect  of  the  line  when  thus  read,  pro- 
cedes  from  each  of  its  sylables  having  the  rising  interval  of  a 
fifth,  or  octave,  or  the  inverted  waves  of  these  intervals,  acording 
to  the  energy  of  the  sneer ;  and  it  shows  the  power  of  that  rise, 
in  changing  an  imperative  into  an  interogative  sentence.  In  this 
way  only,  by  the  concrete  rise  or  the  radical  skip  of  a  fifth  or 
octave,  or  their  inverted  wave,  on  every  sylable,  will  the  question 
be  fuly  expresed;  for  should  the  movement  be  employed  upon 
every  word  except  the  last,  and  this  be  utered  with  the  diatonic 
triad,  the  interogation  will  be  lost.  If  the  interogative  interval 
be  given  only  to  the  last  word,  it  will  in  some  degree,  denote  an 
inquiry ;  but  much  less  forcibly  than  when  the  movement  is  aplied 
to  every  sylable.  Besides  ilustrating  the  interogative  efect,  the 
preceding  example  likwise  shows  the  efect  of  the  wider  intervals, 
when  compared  with  that  of  the  simple  concrete  of  the  tone  or 
second,  in  a  diatonic  melody.  The  maner  of  aplying  these  wider 
intervals,  for  interogation,  will  be  presently  described. 

Before  w'e  enter  on  this  subject,  the  purposes  of  elementary  in- 
struction call  for  a  notice  of  the  varied  extent  of  the  use  of  interog- 
ative expresion;  since  some  sentences  require  it  on  every  sylable; 
others  fuly  convey  the  question  by  partial  aplication.  To  be  more 
definite : 

By  Thoro  Interogative  Expresion,  I  meaiij  a  use  of  the  in- 
tended interval  on  every  sylable. 

By  Partial  Interogative  Expresionj  a  use  of  the  interval  on  one, 
or  on  a  few ;  others,  particularly  those  at  the  close,  having  the 
melody  of  plain  declarative  discoui-se.     For  brevity,  and  for  sub- 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  247 

stitutive  terms,  these  distinctions  may  be  caled,  the  thoro  and  tlie 
partial  intcrogation,  or  intonation,  or  expresion. 

The  proper  reading  of  the  questions,  in  the  folowing  examples, 
may  ilustrate  the  meaning  of  the  above  named  divisions.  When 
Clarence  enters  guarded,  at  the  end  of  the  opening  soliloquy  of 
King  Richcwd  III,  Gloster  thus  adresses  himj 

Brother,  good  day  !    what  means  this  armed  guard 
That  waits  upon  your  Grace? 

Here  the  interrogative  intonation  is  heard  only  on  the  clause, 
what  means  this  armed  guard ;  the  rest  of  the  sentence  has  both 
the  curent  and  cadence  of  the  diatonic  melody. 

When  the  Queen,  in  the  third  scene  of  the  first  act,  saysj 

By  Heaven,  I  will  acquaint  his  Majesty 

Of  those  gross  taunts  I  often  have  endured  : 

Gloster  retortsj 

Threat  you  me  with  telling  of  the  King? 

This  proud  and  angry  question  must  bear  the  interogative  ex- 
presion thruout  its  current,  with  the  rising  interval  at  the  close,  or 
it  will  not  have  the  required  expresion. 

As  the  characteristic  intonation  in  each  of  these  questions  cannot 
be  interchangeably  transfered,  and  as  every  question  makes  a 
thoro,  or  a  restricted  use  of  the  interogative  interval^  it  would 
seem,  there  must  be  some  instinctive  principles  to  direct  a  good 
reader,  in  designating  the  places  and  the  limits  of  its  aplication. 
I  propose  in  the  present  section  to  treat  of  interogative  sentences ; 
and  to  set-forth  some  of  the  principles  that  apear  to  govern  their 
uses  in  speech. 

.  To  state  and  arange  clearly,  the  causes  that  seem  to  direct  the 
Thoro  and  the  Partial  ase  of  interogative  expression^  we  must 
consider  both  the  Gramatical  Structure  of  the  question,  and  the 
state  of  Mind,  or  the  Meaning  or  Purpose  which  it  conveys. 

Sentences  are  employed  interogatively,  under  five  gramatical 
forms. 


248  .•;   V  THE   INTONATION 

First.  They  are  constructed  asertively,  but  are  made  interoga- 
tive  by  Intonation. 

You  say,  a  People  is  only  Sovereign,  when  freed  from 
the  restraints  of   Morals  and  Law  ? 

Let  us  call  thesej  Assertive  or  Declaratory  questions.  They 
sometimes  have  an  ironical  turn,  for  their  intonation  '  speaks  other- 
wise than  what  the  words  declare.' 

Second.  They  are  formed  by  reversing  the  declarator}'  position 
of  the  nominative,  with  regard  to  the  verb  and  its  auxiliary. 

Can  a  Sovereign  People  exist  without  Morals  and  Law? 

Let  these  be  called  Comon  questions. 

Third.  By  joining  a  pronoun  to  the  comon  question. 

What  Morals  and  Law  can  control  its  Sovereign  Will  ? 

Thesej  we  call  Pronominal. 

Fourth.  By  joining  an  adverb  to  the  comon  question. 

Where  shall  this  question  be  determined? 

Thesej  Adverbial. 

Fifth.  By  joining  a  negative  severally  to  the  comon,  the  pro- 
nominal, and  the  adverbial. 

Have  not  the  United  States  of  America  begun  the  experiment? 

Thesej  Negative  questions. 

Of  the  Purpose  or  Meaning,  conveyed  in  a  question,  we  make 
also  five  divisions,  which  will  be  ilustrated  as  we  procede. 

First.  A  question  may  be  made  with  an  uncertainty,  or  with  an 
entire  ignorance  in  the  interogator  on  the  subject  of  the  question. 
This  is  a  question  of  Ileal  Inquiry. 

Second.  The  interogator  may  from  colateral  circumstances,  either 
intimated  or  declared,  liave  some  knowledge,  or  a  reservation  of 
belief,  on  what  is  vcrbaly  the  point  of  the  question.     Call  this  a 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  249 

question  of  Asumcd  Belief.     Both  these  quastions  may  be  nuide 
in  either  the  second,  third,  or  fourth  gramatical  forms. 

Third.  But  a  question  with  the  negative  construction,  is  made 
as  a  demand  for  an  acording  answer;  and  when  furnished  with 
colateral  grounds  of  belief,  is  sometimes  put  with  the  confidence 
of  a  triumphant  asertion.  We  may  call  this  the  Triumphant 
Inquiry,  or  Belief. 

Fourth.  Questions  may  be  adresed  with  various  degrees  of 
Force ;  of  which  Ave  make  three  kindsj  the  moderate,  the  earnest, 
and  the  vehement :  but  as  curious,  and  wayward  ignorance  is 
always  subject  to  the  excited  sway  of  self-willj  questions  may 
embrace  surprise,  anger,  scorn,  contempt,  with  every  kind  and 
degree  of  passion. 

Fifth.  In  concction  with  claims  to  truth  and  justice,  a  question 
is  sometimes  an  apcal  to  the  candor  of  an  oponent,  or  to  the  favor 
of  an  audience.  This  is  an  Apcal ing  question.  To  it  may  be 
adetl  the  Argumentative  or  Conclusive,  the  Exclamatory,  and  the 
Imperative.  As  these  require  a  downward  intonation,  they  will  be 
aranged  and  described  under  a  future  section,  on  Exclamatory 
sentences. 

Questions  vary  in  extent,  from  the  ftdnes  of  the  comon  sentence, 
to  the  eliptical  bi'evity  of  a  monosylabic  word ;  as  shown  in  the 
last  section  on  the  interogative  use  of  even  the  afirmative,  yes.  A. 
similar  question  may  be  made  of  no :  for  notwithstanding  this 
declaratory  negative  is  in  verbal  meaning,  always  the  same,  yet  the 
rising  intonation,  by  changing  that  negative  to  a  question,  over- 
rules its  meaning  or  throws  it  into  doubt. 

Upon  the  subject  of  Thoro,  and  Partial  intonation,  in  the  vari- 
ous Gramatical  forms  of  questions  and  their  meanings,  above 
mentioned,  I  here  ofer  some  general  rules ;  or  furnish  aproxima- 
tions  towards  them,  for  the  asistance  of  future  research. 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  rule,  almost  without  exception,  that 
where  an  interogative  sentence  has  the  Asertive  construction,  it 
requires  the  Thoro  expresion.  In  adition  to  an  example  of  this 
case  given  in  a  preceding  page,  let  us  take  an  instance  from  Corio- 
lanus,  where  the  same  words  are  used  a.s  a  declarator}'^,  and  as  an 
17 


250  THE   INTONATION 

interogative  phrase.      In  the  fifth  scene  of  the  fourth  act,  the 
servant  of,  Aufidius  says  to  Coriolanusj 

Where  d we] est  thou  ? 
Cor.  Under  the  canopy. 
Ser.    Under  the  canopy  2 
Cor.  Ay. 

Ser.  Where's  that? 
Cor.  In  the  city  of   kites  and  crows. 
Ser.  hi  the  city  of  kites  and  crows  f 

The  replications  here  set  in  italics  should  be  read  with  an  in- 
terogative interval  on  every  sylable ;  and  the  cause  seems  to  be 
this.  All  asertive  sentences  when  put  as  questions  are  eliptical ; 
since  they  imply  and  should  properly  include  some  gramatical 
phrase  of  interogation.  For  the  sjx^aker  here  means,  either  with 
inquisitive  doubt  as  to  the  wordsj  did  you  say,  under  the  canopy  ? 
or  with  real  inquiry  as  to  the  placej  where  is,  under  the  canopy  ? 
And  so  of  the  other  instance.  But  the  gramatical  phrase  of  the 
question  being  omited,  it  is  necesary  to  suply  the  defect  of  the 
elipsis,  by  the  use  of  a  thoro  interogative  interval.  If  the  interval 
Ls  aplied  exclusively  to  one  word  or  sylable  except  the  last,  it  con- 
stitutes only  a  declaration,  ^vith  an  intonated  emphasis  on  the  word 
so  marked.  When  set  on  many  sylables,  or  on  all  except  one,  it 
does  produce  a  degree  of  interogative  expresion,  yet  quite  unsatis- 
factory to  the  demands  of  the  mind,  and  of  the  ear.  Should  the 
interogative  interval  be  on  the  last,  with  the  other  words  in  the 
diatonic  melody,  the  intonation  will  fall  short  of  the  meaning  of 
the  plirase,  if  it  would  not  realy  misrepresent  it ;  as  the  unexpected 
rise  at  the  close,  instead  of  the  consistent  termination  by  the  dia- 
tonic cadence,  would  produce  an  anomaly  of  uterance  irreducible, 
by  me  at  least,  to  any  definite  character  of  expresion. 

A  declarative  question  is  then  an  eliptical  sentence,  from  which 
the  gramatical  phrase  having  been  omited,  the  question  must  be 
signified  by  an  interogative  intonation  on  everj'  word.  There  is 
however,  a  kind  of  asertive  sentence,  which  afirms  by  the  word, 
yet  questions  with  such  a  slight  insinnation  of  doubt,  that  it  calls 
for  only  the  partial  intonation ;  as  in  the  folowing  of  llandet  to 
the  Player : 


OF   INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  261 

You  could,  for  a  need,  study  a  speech  of  some  dozen  or 
sixteen  lines,  which  I  would  set  down  and  insert  in't? 

Here  the  words  are  declaratory ;  and  even  affirm  the  power  of 
the  subject;  yet  with  motlerately  rising  intervals  on  only  the 
})hra.so,  you  could  for  a  need;  its  declaratory  meaning  is  overruled, 
and  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  tho  properly  diatonic,  takes  the  inter- 
ogative  character  from  this  partial  intonation.  Such  cases  deserve 
a  name  for  themselves,  and  are  not  to  be  clased  with  declarative 
questions,  which  are  purely  thoro  interogatives. 

In  a  sentence  constructed  by  the  nominative  placed  after  the 
verb,  or  between  the  verb  and  auxiliary,  forming  what  we  call  a 
Comon  questionj  either  the  Partial  or  the  Thoro  interogative  is 
employed.  I  need  not  ilustrate  the  varieties  of  this  case;  the 
Reiider  can  readily  recur  to  examples  under  it,  in  which  the  into- 
nation must  be  determined  by  the  meaning  and  force  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  by  the  sentence,  whether  short  and  simple,  or  cxtended. 
and  complex. 

A  sentence  constructed  with  the  interogative  pronouns  or  ad- 
verbs, constituting  what  we  call  Pronominal  and  Adverbial  ques- 
tionsj  and  embracing  none  of  those  conditions  which  require  the- 
Thoro  expresion,  comonly  apears  under  the  Partial  form ;,  as  in 
the  folowing  examples : 

Who  huth  descried  the  number  of  the  traitors? 
How  camo  these  things  to  pass? 
What  sum  owes  he  the  Jew  ? 

These  lines  do  not  severaly  require  a  thoro  expresion ;  for  iha- 
question  is  here  suficiently  marked,  when  the  interogative  interval 
is  aplicd  on  portions  only  of  the  sentence,  particularly  on  its  em- 
phatic words.  The  ground  of  the  partial  aplication  may  be  this.. 
In  adverbial  and  pronominal  constructions,  there  is  no  question 
about  the  existence  or  tlie  agency  of  the  subject  of  inquiry ;  and 
its  part  in  the  sentence  does  not  call  for  an  interogative  expresion. 
The  uncertainty  is  in  the  relation  of  that  existence,  to  iwi-son,. 
time,  place,  maner,  number,  and  degree;  and  on  the^c  only,  the 
interogative  inter\^al8  are  required.  In  the  first  example  the  ex- 
istence of  the  traitors  is  admited ;  the  question  refering  only  to 


252  THE   INTONATION  ' 

their  number,  and  to  the  person  wlio  had  seen  them.  In  the 
second,  the  existence  of  the  things,  and  their  agency  in  the  event, 
is  admited ;  the  question  beingj  in  what  maner,  or  how  they  came 
to  pass.  The  third  admits  the  debt ;  and  questions  only  its 
amount.  Some  of  the  exceptions  to  the  generality  of  this  rule 
will  be  mentioned,  in  speaking  of  the  varj-ing  state  of  mind  or 
purpose  in  an  interogative  phrase,  and  of  its  final  emphatic 
sylable. 

Comon,  pronominal,  and  adverbial  questions  are  made  directly 
to  the  point  of  inquiry,  or  indirectly  by  a  negative,  to  its  oposite; 
as  in  the  folowing  comon  questionj  Will  he — come  ?  And  in  the 
negativej  Will  he — not  come  ?  The  dash  being  merely  to  mark 
the  diference  to  the  eye.  Here  the  first  question  is  directly  to  the 
point  of  his  coming.  The  second  is  indirect,  or  to  the  point  of 
his  not  coming.  The  condition  is  therefore  not  the  same  in  the 
two  cases.  One  is  a  real  inquiry,  made  in  ignorance  whether  or 
not,  he  will  come ;  and  without  hope  or  fear  that  he  may.  The 
other  is  prompted  by  the  asumed  hope,  that  he  ivill  come ;  and 
thereupon,  anxiously  regarding,  and  fearing  the  negative  side  of 
the  condition  only,  asks,  if  this  negative  is  the  fact.  Is  it — that 
he  will  not  come?  or  by  elipsis,  and  by  transposition,  W^ill  he — 
not  come  ? 

If  Ave  take  adverbial  and  pronominal  questions^  the  principle  of 
an  asumed  belief,  under  their  negative  form,  will  be  perhaps  more 
aparent.  What  did  he — not  dare  ?  How  did  he — not  deceve  ? 
Who  is — not  covetous?  These  cases  clearly  indicate  on  the  part 
of  the  interogator,  the  belief  that  the  subjects  of  the  first  two  did 
severaly  dare,  and  deceve  in  all  things ;  and  in  the  last,  that  all 
men  are  covetous.  Should  these  questions  be  made  directly  to 
their  interogative  pointsj  What  did  he  dare  ?  their  several  real  in- 
quiries would  call  for  a  thoro  interrogation ;  but  ;\s  negatives,  and 
made  indirectly  to  these  points,  they  may  take  the  partial  exprcsion, 
or  even  the  downward  interval  and  the  direct  wave. 

A  Negative  question  has  the  Thoro  or  the  Partial  intonation, 
acording  to  its  meaning  and  force;  and  it  will  be  presently  shown  j 
the  negative  question  sometimes  caries  the  asumed  belief  to  that 
positive  degree  which  requires  the  downward  intonation. 

When  a  sentence,  besides  the  Point  of  the  question,  has  aditional 


OF   INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  253 

members  or  clauses  which  contain  an  adres,  or  asertions,  or  exple- 
tives, or  reference  to  causes^  tlie  expresion  asumes  the  partial  fonn ; 
as  m  the  folowing  instances 

Of  address : 

ir/iy  icith  &ome  little  train,  my  lord  of  Buckingham? 

Of  asertion: 

Why  did  you  laugh  then,  when  I  said,  Man  delights  not  me? 
Of  expletive: 


Of  cause : 


WhaVs  Jlcciiba  to  him,  or  he  to  Hecuba, 
That  he  should  weep  for  her  ? 


What  of  his  heart  perceve  you  in  his  face. 
By  any  likelihood  he  show'd  to  day? 


Tlie  effect  of  the  rule  seems  to  be,  that  the  aditional  clauses 
modify  the  leading  point  of  the  question,  yet  do  not,  in  their  sep- 
arable membersliip,  include  an  interogation  ;  which  the  portion 
of  the  sentence  marked  in  italics,  and  here  caled  the  point  of  the 
question,  does  gramatically  convey. 

When  questions  of  a  moderate  degree  are  conected  by  conjunc- 
tions, or  folow  in  series,  without  this  conectionj  it  is  not  necesary 
each  question  should  severaly  have  the  extent  of  interogative 
expresion,  required  in  its  solitary  use. 

Give  me  thy  hand.      Thus  high,,  by  thy  advice, 
And  thy  asistance,  is  king  Richard  seated : 
But  shall  we  wfear  these  glories  for  a  day? 
Or  shall  they  last,  and  we  rejoice  in  them? 


Are  you  call'd  forth  from  out  a  world  of  men, 
To  slay  the  inocent?      What  is  my  ofence? 
Where  is  the  evidence  that  doth  acuse  me? 
What  lawful  qu(!st  have  given  their  verdict  up 
Unto  the  frowning  judge?   or  who  pronounced 
The  biter  sentence  of  poor  Clarence's  death? 

Should  this  rule  not  be  contravened  by  conditions  requiring  the 
thoro  expresionj  the  question  in  such  instances  as  the  above,  is 
sometimes  suficiently  marked,  if  each  of  the  several  members  of 


254  '  ''  THE  INTOXATION  ''^ 

V 

tlie  series  has  an  interogative  interval  only  on  a  single  word ;  and 
this  reduces  the  case,  in  point  of  expresion,  to  an  ordinary  sentence, 
having  an  emphatic  word,  so  marked  by  the  given  interval.  Per- 
haps the  ground  of  the  rule  is,  that  the  mind  or  ear  of  the  auditor 
being,  so  to  speak,  in  the  humor  of  the  question,  the  interogation 
is  suficiently  indicated  by  the  gramatical  structure. 

With  regard  to  the  State  of  mind,  Meaning,  or  Pui"pose  con- 
veyed by  a  question,  some  notable  circumstances  govern  the  use  of 
intonation. 

If  a  question  is  prompted  by  the  ignorance  or  uncertainty  of 
the  speaker,  and  contains  a  Real  inquiry,  it  generaly  calls  for  the 
thoro  expresion ;  Avhich  must  consequently  in  many  instances, 
overrule  the  partial  intonation  otherwise  apropriate  to  pronominal, 
adverbial,  and  comon  questions;  to  questions  in  conjunction,  and 
in  series ;  and  should  they  embrace  surprise,  even  to  those  of  nega- 
tive construction ;  as  in  the  folowing  examples,  where  the  lines  in 
italics,  including  questions  of  real  inquiryj  the  last  being  prompted 
by  surprisej  call  for  the  thoro  interogative. 

Hamlet.     Dost  thou  hear  me,  old  friend  ? 

Can  you  play  the  murder  of  Gonzago  ? 


Hamlet.     Have  you  a  daughter  7 
Polonius.  I  have,  my  lord. 


Prospero.  Thy  father  was  the  Duke  of  Milan,  and 
A  Prince  of  power. 
•   Miranda.  Sir,  are  not  you  my  father? 

Altho  in  the  stated  form  of  this  rule,  only  a  general  efect  is 
ascribal  to  it,  yet  when  the  question  has  much  earnestnes,  its 
bearing  is  almost  without  exception. 

Those  questions,  in  which  the  interogator  intimates  s;ome  knowl- 
edge on  the  subject  of  his  inquiry,  and  whicli  were  termed  ques- 
tions of  asumed  belief,  take,  acording  to  the  degree  of  force,  either 
the  partial  or  the  thoro  intonation.  Under  this  head,  even  some 
declarative  questions  contain  so  much  of  an  absolute  ascrtion,  that 
they  recpiirc  the  slightest  degree  of  interogiitivo  expresion ;  as  in 
the  folowing,  of  Handct  to  Polonius : 

My  lord,  you  play'd  once  in  the   University,  you  say  ? 


OF   INTEl^ROOATIVE  SENTENCES.  255 

As  there  is  some  doubt  in  this  sentence,  it  is  properly  marked 
as  a  question ;  yet  the  oolateral  phrase,  you  my,  refers  to  an  event 
known  before  to  tlie  interogat<5r,  and  makes  it  one  of  belief:  this 
state  of  mind  therefore,  requires  an  interogation  only  on  the  words 
in  italics. 

Of  the  Negative  question,  which  under  its  asumed  belief,  seems 
to  anticipate,  or  at  least  to  hope  for,  an  acording  aaswerj  we  find 
an  ilustration  in  Shylock's  noted  paralel  between  the  Jew  and  the 
Christian,  with  his  earnest  resolve  upon  revenge. 

He  hath  disgraced  me,  and  hindered  me  of  half  a  milion  ;  laughed  at  my 
losses,  mocked  at  my  gains,  scorned  my  nation,  thwarted  my  bargains,  cooled 
my  friends,  heated  mine  enemies;  and  what's  his  reason  ?  I  am  a  Jew:  Hath 
not  a  Jew  eyes?  Hath  not  a  Jew  hands?  Organs?  Dimensions?  Senses? 
Affections?  Pasions?  Fed  with  the  same  food,  hurt  with  the  same  weapons, 
subject  to  the  same  diseases,  healed  by  the  same  mean-?,  warmed  and  cooled 
by  the  same  winter  and  sumer,  as  a  Christian  is  ?  If  j-ou  prick  us,  do  we  not 
bleed  ?  If  you  tickle  us,  do  we  not  laugh  ?  If  you  poison  us,  do  we  not  die  ? 
And  if  you  wrong  us,  shall  we  not  revenge  ?  If  we  are  like  you  in  the  rest, 
we  will  resemble  you  in  that.  If  a  Jew  wrong  a  Christian,  what  is  his 
humility?  Revenge.  If  a  Christian  wrong  a  Jew,  what  should  his  sufarance 
be  by  Christian  example?  Why,  revenge.  The  vilainyyou  teach  me,  I  will 
execute;  and  it  shall  go  hard,  but  I  will  beter  the  instruction. 

Here  the  questions  begin  witlij  Whafs  his  reason?  As  the 
answer  is  made  by  the  inquirer  himself,  the  question  is  to  him 
rather  one  of  belief,  or  of  apeal,  than  a  real  inquiry;  and  'is  to  be 
made  by  rising  intervals,  on  the  first  three  sylables,  with  a  down- 
ward interval  on  son;  constituting  a  partial  interogation.  The 
answer  Is  a  full  sentence,  and  serves  to  ilustrate  the  expresion  of 
the  triad  of  the  cadence.  This  triad  is  always  set  at  a  full  perio<l. 
When  therefore  Shy  lock,  to  his  own  question,  responds,  and  asigns 
the  reason,  /  am  a  Jew,  giving  a  downward  interval  to  J,  and  the 
falling  triad  of  the  cadence  to  the  three  remaining  svlables;  he 
joins  to  tiie  close  of  the  meaning  by  words,  a  positive  closing  into- 
nation, which  emphaticaly  declares,  this  alone  to  be  the  motive, 
and  implies  by  the  close,  that  no  more  is  to  be  said  :  thereby  aford- 
ing  a  beautiful  instance  both  of  the  gmmatictil,  and  the  intonated 
efect  of  the  cadence.  Add  to  this,  the  contrasted  variety  of  the 
rising  intervals  on  the  question,  and  the  downward  intervals  on  the 
answer:  mucli  preferable  I  would  say,  for  its  truth,  digtiity,  and 


256  THE   INTONATION 

force,  to  the  answer  when  made  by  the  sneering  intonation  of  rising 
intervals  or  of  waves,  sometimes  aplied  to  it.  The  next  two  ques- 
tions, Hath  not  a  Jew  eyes  ?  Hath  not  a  Jew  hands  ?  are  similar 
in  argumentative  meaning,  and  should  have  a  like  intonation. 
They  are  both  negative :  and  having  in  a  preceding  page  given 
some  examples,  showing  that  the  negative  question  includes  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree  the  mental  condition  of  belief j  I  here  ofer  a 
further  explanation  of  the  mauer  in  which  that  belief  is  gramati- 
caly  conveyed. 

Let  us  take  the  following  as  a  Common  question  of  Real  In- 
quiry ;  Hath  a  Jew  eyes  ?  Then  the  negative  proposition j  A  Jew 
hath  not  eyes.  If  we  join  a  question  to  the  negative  declaration, 
we  have  this  form  of  questioning  a  negative:  Is  it  so?  (that)  a 
Jew  hath  not  eyes.  Which,  with  an  identical  meaning,  may  be 
thus  traced  through  its  various  constructions.  Is  it  true? — a  Jew 
hath  not  eyes :  orj  is  it  true  of  a  Jew  ? — he  hath  not  eyes :  or j  a 
Jew,  hath  he  not  eyes  ?  And  from  this,  rejecting  the  pronoun 
and  puting  the  noun  in  its  place,  we  have :  Hath  a  Jew  not  eyes  ? 
or  conecting  the  negative  with  the  verbj  Hath  not  a  Jew  eyes  ? 
which  is  the  most  suuple  form  of  questioning  a  negative.  Now  to 
doubt  or  question  a  negative,  is  in  a  certain  degree,  to  intimate  an 
afirmative;  and  to  question  his  not  having  eyes,  at  least  caries 
with  it,  the  asumed  belief  that  he  has.  Hence  negative  questions 
may  l)e  considered  as  questions  of  Belief,  under  the  form  of  an 
apeal.  If  this  explanation  is  corect,  Shy  lock  does  not  look  for  an 
answer  from  Salanio ;  but  implies  in  the  negative  apeiiling  ques- 
tionj  his  conviction,  that  the  same  physical  and  moral  constitution 
in  the  Jew,  and  in  the  Christian,  entitles  each  equaly  to  the  rights 
of  truth  and  justice.  Under  this  view,  the  question  put  by  Shy- 
lock,  tho  one  of  asumed  belief  and  of  apoal,  has  its  claims  to  the 
partial,  or  the  downward  intonation,  overruled  by  its  vehemence ; 
and  therefore  demands  the  tlioro  interogative  expresion.  I  do  not 
say,  that  as  an  apeal  taken  with  the  negative  construction,  the  two 
questions  might  not  be  given  alt<.)getlier  in  the  downward  intona- 
tion ;  or  at  least  with  a  direct  wave  on  Jew,  in  the  first,  and  a 
downward  concrete  on  hands  in  the  second.  Yet  to  my  ear,  the 
keeness  of  the  thoro  interogation  is  more  apropriate  to  the  energy 
of  the  case. 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  257 

Next  folow  in  sucesion,  five  words,  each  being  an  cliptical  tlo- 
claratory  question ;  and  they  are  here  so  raarived ;  havinfii;  dropcd 
the  <rn\matical  phrase,  Hath  not  a  Jew  ?  Tiiese  questions  sevoraly 
call  lor  the  risinoj  interogative  interval,  on  each  of  their  sylablcs. 
Let  there  be  no  fear  of  monotony  in  this  case  ;  the  variety  of  ele- 
mental sound,  and  of  meaning  in  the  words,  enable  the  car  to  bear 
the  repeated- identity  of  a  truthful  intonation.  We  next  have  a 
sentence  begining  at  /<?<i,  consisting  of  five  clauses.  This  is  still 
a  declaratory  question :  but  the  elipsis  that  makes  it  so,  does  not 
avoid  a  soleci.sni ;  for  the  interogative  verb  must  be  changed,  and 
tlie  question  if  complete  should  be,  notj  Hath  not,  butj  Is  not  a 
Jew  fed  with  the  same  fcxxl,  as  a  Christian  is  ?  Under  its  declara- 
tory form  in  the  text,  its  suposcd  negative  embraces,  like  the  pre- 
ceding questions,  a  degree  of  belief  and  apeal.  But  the  vehemence 
has  somewhat  subsided,  and  the  intonation  may  therefore  be  par- 
tial ;  particularly  at  the  end,  where  the  diatonic  cadence  may  be 
aplied.  The  next  four  clauses  are  similar ;  and  each  is  made-up 
of  a  condition,  and  of  a  negative  question.  If  you  prick  us,  do 
we  not  bleed  ?  This  union  of  the  condition  and  the  negative,  puts 
the  question  of  belief  and  of  apeal  in  so  strong  a  light,  that  its 
meaning  takes  the  lead,  in  the  intonation  of  the  several  questions. 
All  the  interogative  phrases  should  therefore  have  the  down\vard 
intervals ;  for  these,  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  form  the  intonation 
of  apeal ing  questions ;  while  the  conditional  phrases  should  have 
the  partial,  or  the  thoro  expression,  as  the  meaning,  or  as  variety 
may  require.  The  next  two  clauses  are  alike  in  structure,  and 
contain,  severaly,  a  condition,  together  with  a  pronominal  question ; 
If  a  Jew  wrong  a  Christian,  what  is  his  humility?  Here  the  in- 
terogator  returning  his  own  ansAver,  the  question  may  be  taken  as 
an  apeal,  and  receve  the  downward  intonation.  Since  the  question 
conveys  a  slight  degree  of  sneer,  the  emphatic  sylable  of  humility 
may  receve  a  wider  unequal  direct  wave  of  the  fifth,  which  we 
shall  learn  hereafter  Ls  its  proper  vocal  sign  :  at  the  same  time,  the 
rise  of  the  first  constituent  of  this  wave,  forms  a  striking  and  ele- 
gant contrast  to  the  emphatic  downward  intonation  of  the  answerj 
Reven(je.  The  other  answerj  why,  rcvenr^e,  should  have  the  triad 
of  the  cadence,  on  its  three  sylables,  forcibly  declared  by  its  down- 
ward vanishes  ;  meaning,  as  it  would  scemj  there  is  an  end  of  the 


258  THE  IXTONATIOX 

subject,  let  no  more  be  said.  For  the  higher  Elocution,  this  argu- 
ment of  Shylock  has  great  strength  and  beauty.  The  vehemence 
with  which  the  rising  intonation  begins,  moderates  as  it  procales ; 
till  it  gradualy  declines  to  the  downward,  yet  still  impresive  into- 
nation of  an  apeal.  If  the  several  questions  seem  to  have  too 
close  a  sucesion  of  the  same  rising  intervals ;  let  it  be  remembered, 
this  is  not  monotony.  It  is  the  truth  of  intonation :  and  in  the 
purposes  of  an  ordained  and  expresive  use  of  the  voice,  truth 
and  fitnes  can  never  be  monotonous  to  a  scientific  and  cultivated 
ear. 

For  a  further  ilustration  of  the  negative  interogatory,  under 
that  degree  of  belief  called  the  Triumphant  questionj  I  give  here 
an  example,  showing  at  the  same  time,  the  diference  between  the 
negative  and  the  common  form. 

When  St.  Paul,  before  the  Judgment  Seat,  asks,  in  a  comon 
questionj  King  Agrippa,  belevest  thou  the  Prophets  ?  he  adreses 
a  real  inquiry,  and  cannot,  therefore,  with  propriety,  return  the 
answer  himself.  And  unles  Agrippa  had  remained  silent  after 
the  question,  of  which  we  are  not  informed,  we  see  no  cause  why 
Paul  should  so  confidently  afirm  the  belief  of  Agrippa :  for  a 
hesitating  or  evasive  answer  on  the  part  of  Agrippa  might  have 
been  taken  as  a  colateral  ground  of  belief,  on  the  part  of  the  in- 
terogator.  Paul's  personal  narative,  and  his  very  pro})erly  as- 
cribing to  Agrippa,  a  knowledge  of  Jewish  afairs,  even  if  grounds 
at  all,  are  not  implied  in  his  real  inquiry.  Refering  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  asumed  belief,  that  directs  a  negative  question,  let  us  aply 
it  to  a  like  construction  here.  King  Agrippa,  belevest  thou  not 
the  Prophets?  or.  Dost  thou  not,  King  Agrippa,  beleve  the 
Prophets  ?  For  the  meaning  in  both  cases  is  identical ;  since  they 
each  alike  question  a  negative,  and  ask  Agrippa,  if  he  does  not 
beleve,  or  if  he  disbeleves  the  Prophets.  And,  if  I  am  not  misled 
both  in  the  analysis,  and  inferencej  to  doubt  or  question  a  disbelief, 
is,  to  a  certain  degree,  to  suppose  a  belief.  Let  then  the  phrase  of 
real  inquiry,  as  the  case  is  recorded,  be  made  negative ;  and  upon 
this  doubt  or  question  of  Agrippa's  ^?/sbeliefj  Paul,  in  the  con- 
firming zeal  of  his  argument,  miglit,  after  his  apealing  intcroga- 
tive,  fairly  make  his  conclusive  declaration.  Dost  thou  not,  King 
Agrippa,  beleve  the  Prophets  ?     I  know  that  thou  bdevest. 


OF  INTERROGATrVE  SENTENCES.  269 

For  the  intonation  of  tliis  altered  form  of*  tlie  question,  aply 
rising  interogative  intervals  to  the  wordsj  Dost  thou  not,  King 
Agrippa;  making  the  first  three  strongly  and  deliberately  emphatic, 
^vith  a  slight  pause  after  Agrippa:  then  reduce  the  octave  or  fifth, 
whichever  may  be  usefl,  down  to  a  third  on  the  sylable  ffrip,  to  a 
second  on  pa;  and  terminate  the  question,  by  positive  faling  inter- 
vals on;  beleve  the  Prophets.  Give  an  emphatic  downward  into- 
nation to  the  declaration j  I  know  that  thou  belevestj  with  an  ex- 
ulting tremor  on  know;  and  the  question,  by  its  earnestnes,  and  the 
implied  belief  of  its  negative  structure,  will  be  a  forcible  figure  of 
speech,  and  a  striking  example  of  the  Triumphant  inquiry.* 

There  is,  in  the  Eleventh  chapter  of  the  Second  Corinthians,  a 
series  of  questions  and  answers,  by  St.  Paul ;  each  somewhat  re- 
sembling in  structure  tliat  adresed  to  Agrippa,  but  far  more  iregu- 
lar.     Of  these  however  I  tiike  one  only,  as  an  example  of  the 

other  four. 

Are  they  Hebrews?     So  am  I, 

*  Wo  are  told  in  the  '  Acts  of  the  Apostles,'  that  Paul  adresed  Agrippa,  in 
what  we  have  called  a  comon  question  of  Real  inquirj*.  But  Paul,  from  his 
own  acount  of  his  {Xirsecuting  the  Christians^  was  a  choleric,  and  a,  violent 
man :  and  was  besides,  an  Enthusiast  in  the  Platonic  Philosophy ;  that  scho- 
lastic source  of  the  fanatical  delusions  of  the  '  real  presence  of  Spiritualism  ;' 
and  of  political  craft,  in  the  prophecies  of  'Manifest  Destiny.'  Urged  and 
sustained  by  the  overbearing  energy,  and  thq  self-confidence  of  his  character, 
lie  was  necesarily  fcarles  before  his  acusers,  and  eloquent  in  the  honesty,  and 
declaration  of  his  belief.  In  the  fervor  of  that  belief,  he  put  his  question, 
as  if  his  own  conviction  had  reached  his  judge.  Now  as  I  maintain,  either 
nature  or  convention,  has  apointed  the  form  of  a  Negative  question,  to  cxpres 
this  hopeful  reliance  of  the  interogator,  on  the  yielding  asent  of  the  re- 
spondent. But  this  is  not  the  form  recorded  in  the  case  before  us.  If  Paul's 
friends  or  foes  in  the  crowd,  reported  the  Adrcss,  we  cannot  bo  surprised  at  a 
mistake.  If  it  was  writcn  out  by  Paul,  or  repeated  by  him  to  others,  the 
language  must  then  have  wanted  the  purpose  and  ardor  which  directed  the 
apropriate  gramar  of  his  imjiresive  vocal  question.  We  may  then  be  alowed, 
with  some  probability,  to  doubt  that  the  question  was  writen  down  in  the 
very  words  of  the  speaker. 

The  philosophical  critic  must  pardon  the  merely  ilustrating  remark  of 
this  Note.  And  if  this,  my  pastime  of  comentary,  should  disturb  the  nervous 
Orthodoxy  of  those  who  do  not  like  to  be  caled  '  Lovers  of  Wisdom  ;'  they 
will  please  to  observe,  that  the  proposed  emendation  of  St.  Luke,  who  tho  a 
Physician,  may  not  have  been  an  Elocutionist,  is  drawn  from  a  law  of  Nature 
herself  who,  among  the  counties,  so  caled  orthodoxies  of  men,  has  ni'ver  yet 
found  one  in  undeluding  likeness  to  her  own. 


260  THE   US^TONATION 

Here,  in  adition  to  the  unsatisfactory  use  of  the  comon  question 
of  real  inquiry,  in  place  of  a  negative  of  asumed  beliefj  and  to 
the  incongruity  between  the  number  and  person,  of  Hebrews  and 
Ij  the  peculiar  construction,  in  making  the  interogator  the  re- 
sjjondent,  comits  a  violent  solecism ;  as  a  question  cannot  be  the 
premis  to  an  unconditional  conclusion.  For,  so  [in  like  manner  to 
what  f)  am  I,  has  not  the  least  conection  with  the  foregoing  ques- 
tion ;  which  afirms  no  existence  as  the  antecedent  to  so.  The 
purpose  of  speech  is  to  represent,  by  sound  and  syntax,  severaly 
both  thot  and  pasion ;  and  no  Art  of  Elocution,  not  ours  at  least, 
can  by  the  modes  of  the  voice,  properly  convey  either  thot  or  ex- 
presion,  upon  the  inconsistent  clauses  of  this  example.  We  may 
guess,  that  Paul  meant  to  tell  the  Corinthiansj  he  adressed  them 
as  a  Hebrew ;  but  he  does  not  say  so,  by  strict,  nor  even  by  clear 
eliptical  gramar. 

Are  they  Hebrews  ?  is  a  question  of  real  inquiry ;  and  until 
answered  in  the  afirmative,  cannot  have  the  least  gramatical  or 
mental  corespondence  with  the  declarationj  so  am  I.  AVhen  the 
question  is  negative j  Are  they  not  Hebrews?  it  becomes  one  of 
belief;  and  so  far  as  the  declaration  may  be  thereupon  infered,  its 
relationship  to  that  asertive  interogatory,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  is 
somewhat  clearer.  Now  acording  to  the  meaning  and  power  of 
a  negative  question j  are  they  not  Hebrews?  the  interogator ^//ura- 
tively  asumes,  that  they  unconditionaly  are  ;  and  therefore  conclu- 
'sively  declares^  so  am  I.  Yet  this  strong  negative  apeal,  with  its 
asumed  asent,  even  when  asisted  by  emphatic  force,  and  a  thoro 
downward  intonation j  as  in,  Are  they  not  Hebrews?  So  am  Ij 
has  not  a  strictly  gramatical  nor  mental  construction  ;  and  it  might 
be  subject  to  the  consequent  j  so  am  I  not  Hebrews,  or  a  Hebrew. 
There  is  a  discrepancy  between  the  meaning  of  the  question  of 
belief  in  the  former,  and  of  the  strict  conclusion  in  the  latter 
phmse.  Nor  can  its  awkwardnes  be  entirely  avoided,  and  the 
asumed  belief  be  justifiable,  without  puting  both  phrases  into  tlic 
same  form  of  negative  interogation.  Are  they  ?io< Hebrews?  and, 
am  not  I  a  Hebrew  ?  or  again,  am  I  not  one  ? 

The  extent  of  interogative  intonation  apropriate  to  questions 
put  Argumentatively,  and  to  those  embracing  a  confident  apeal; 
varies  from  the  partial  and  the  thoro  rising,  to  the  ^•ery  reverse 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  261' 

condition  of  a  downward  intonation.     But  oi'  the  argumentative, 
and  apealing  interogation,  I  gihall  sjx^k,  in  a  future  section. 

Wlien  a  (juestion  is  vcliemently  made,  under  any  gramatical 
structure,  and  witli  any  number  of  such  questions,  eitlier  in  con- 
junction or  in  seriesj  the  rule  very  generaly  asigns  to  the  expresion, 

the  thoro  extent. 

Show  mc  what  thou'lt  do. 
Woo't  weep?  woo't  fight?  woo't  fast?  woo't  tear  thyself? 
Woo't  drink  Up  Esil?  eat  a  crocodile? 
I'll  do't.     Dost  thou  come  here  to  whine? 
To  outface  me  with  leaping  in  her  grave? 

The  pasionative  state  that  du-ects  the  voice  in  these  several 
questions,  has  an  exces  of  vehemence,  and  its  purpose  is  interoga- 
tive.     The  interogation  therefore,  must  be  vehemently  marked  by 
its  rising  intervals  on  every  word,  or  there  will  be  no  corespond- 
ence  between  the  pasionative  state  of  mind,  and  the  vocal  ex- 
presion.    It  may  perhaps  be  saidj  this  repetition  of  the  same 
interval,  would  be  monotonous.     If  so,  the  charge  is  made  against 
Nature ;  and  it  is  always  hopeful  to  defend  her.     Let  him  Avho 
would  try  it  for  varietyj  give  the  several  questions,  alternately 
with  a  rising  and  a  faling  octave  or  fifth ;  and  hear  then,  their 
meaning  quite  destroyed,  by  this  see-saw  of  real  monotony.    Again, 
let  him  otherwise  contrast  these  intervals,  for  some  must  risej  and 
try  every  sucesion  that  may  seem  to  promise  variety;  then  we 
shall  have,  together  with  a  striking  odity,  a  far  worse  monotony 
of  afectation.     After  these  trials,  let  him  give  each  question  with 
its  proper  rising  interval ;  and  we  can  say  whether  the  pasionative 
state  is  not  as  deeply  impresed  on  us,  as  it  is  forcibly  expresed  by 
him.     He  is  only  teling  the  truth  of  uterance,  with  emphatic 
repetition  ;  and  we,  if  fit  for  sympathy,  cannot  pcrceve  a  monotony, 
which  not  being  in  his  thot  or  pasion,  he  does  not  vocaly  expres. 
Yet  see  the  elocution,  in  the  Poet's  mind  and  pen  !     He  ])ut  eight 
questions  Avithin  these  lines,  and  thot  then,  as  we  may  therefore 
say  now,  that  all  should  have  the  rising  intonation.     He  paid  this 
tribute  to  expresion,  in  the  first  six  ;  and  Avith  a  mind  unconscious 
of  monotony  in  truth;  and  only  to  give  it  variety,  by  another 
phrase  with  the  doAvnward  interval,  and  its  vehement  asent,  he 
thot,  and  in  pasionative  contrast  Avrotcj  Til  do  it. 


262  ,,.      THE   IXTOXATION 

Say,  thou  Al-Obsei*vant,  and  Al-Reflective  power  of  Shakspeare  I 
do  I  not  speak  the  truth  of  thy  discrimination,  as  thy  Al-Reaching 
language,  so  often  speaks  to  me  the  everlasting  truth,  and  truthful 
analogies  of  nature  and  of  life  ! 

But  to  return.  Should  a  question  be  adressed  with  a  moderate 
form  of  inquiry,  it  generaly  takes  the  partial  form  of  expre«ion. 
When  Hamlet  says  to  Guildensternj 

Will  you  play  upon  this  pipe? 

the  composure  of  mind  and  the  rank  of  the  Prince  mingle  in  the 
question,  the  mild  authority  of  a  request,  with  the  doubt  of  an 
inquiry ;  and  this  is  perhaps  properly  represented  by  the  use  of  a 
moderate  interogative  intonation  on  the  first  part  of  the  sentence, 
with  a  subsequent  reposing  descent  of  the  diatonic  cadence.  It 
would  apear,  the  instrument  is  brought  into  the  scene,  and  the 
question  thereupon  put,  with  a  view  to  the  consequent  quible; 
and  on  this  ground,  perhaps,  the  word  pipe  might  be  regarded  as 
emphatic.  Still  the  emphasis  may  be  made  by  moderate  stres  or 
force,  on  the  last  constituent  of  the  triad,  without  the  uecesity  in 
this  case,  of  a  rising  interogative  interval.  Should  this  moderate 
degree  of  the  question  be  earnestly  increased,  it  would  take  the 
thoro  interogative,  unles  overruled  by  a  negative  construction,  to 
the  downward  expresion. 

When  a  question  is  asked  with  surprise,  indignation,  scorn,  and 
other  similar  states,  it  generaly  receves  the  thoro  expresion.  Let 
us  take  some  examples  from  the  scene,  in  the  first  act  of  Hamlet, 
between  Hamlet,  Horatio,  and  the  t\vo  officers ;  where,  from  the 
moment  Horatio  informs  Hamlet  of  his  having  seen  his  father, 
there  folows,  on  the  part  of  the  Prince,  a  sucesion  of  questions, 
with  both  the  declaratory  and  interogative  construction,  requiring 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  a  marked  use  of  the  thoro  expresion. 

There  are  thirteen  questions  in  this  dialogue.  In  aplyiug  our 
principles  of  intonation  to  them,  the  Novelty  of  tlie  mater  in  this 
Work,  and  the  required  peculiarity  of  its  arangement,  make  it 
necesary  to  anticipate  some  points  of  our  subject,  that  will  be  fuly 
explained  liercafter.  It  is  found  by  the  exj>erience  of  those  who 
gain  knowledge  from  books,  that  what  is  worth  reading  at  all, 
should  be  read  more  than  once ;  diferent  parts  of  a  system  being 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  263 

the  best  expositors  of  each  other.  The  Student  of  Nature  is  al- 
ways, again  and  again,  going  over  the  Pandect  of  her  self-explaining 
Volume. 

After  some  words  about  the  late  King,  our  extract  from  the 
dialogue  begins  hercj 

Hor.     My  lord,  I  think  I  saw  him  yester-night. 
Ham.  Saw?   who? 

Here  seem  to  be  two  separate  questions.  The  First  is  eliptical ; 
either  for  the  declaratory  iuterogative  phrase,  you  sawf  or  for  the 
comon  question,  did  you  seef  and  refers  soley  to  the  fact  of  an 
aparition :  since  Hamlet's  thot  is,  for  the  moment  exclusively 
directed  to  the  impossibility  of  the  King,  his  father,  having  been 
seen.  The  Second  is  ungramatically  eliptical  either  for,  saw  whom? 
or  for,  whom  did  you  see  f  and  refers  to  tlie  person  of  the  aparition. 
By  taking  these  as  two  separate  questions,  we  are  enabled  to  give 
more  force  and  variety  to  their  intonated  expresion.  They  each 
expres  astonishment  and  inquiry,  the  former  predominating  ;  and 
this,  we  shall  learn  hereafter,  calls  for  a  wide  downwardj  and  the 
question,  for  a  wide  rising  interval.  These  diferent  expresions  in 
the  first  question  are  therefore  conected  and  reconciled  by  the  faling 
continued  into  the  rising  octave ;  forming  what  we  call  the  inverted 
wave.  The  astonished  interogation  of  this  wave,  is  then  to  be 
aplied  to  the  first  question  sawf  The  second  question,  whof 
by  an  eror  in  case,  is  eliptical  for,  Who  did  you  see  ?  It  is  not 
however,  j^rojierly  a  declaratory  word,  requiring  a  rising  interval ; 
as  an  inierogaiive  pronoun,  it  does  even  when  alone,  always  convey 
the  meaning  of  a  condition  or  question.  But  the  question  has 
already  been  emphaticaly  made  on  saw  f  With  a  moderate  joause 
after  this  word,  the  astonishment  may  therefore  be  expresed  by 
an  empluitic  downward  octave  on  who  ;  forming  what  will  be  de- 
scriljod  hereafter,  as  the  Exclamatorj-  question.  In  this  way,  the 
expresion  of  these  two  words,  both  forcible  and  true,  is  efected 
with  more  variety,  than  if  the  same  intonation  were  used  on  each. 

Hot.     My  lord,  the  King,  your  father. 
Ilam.  Tlie  King,  my  father  ? 

This  being  a  declaratory  question,  under  a  state  of  astonishment, 


264  THE  INTONATION 

calls  for  an  impresive  thoro  interogation  ;  wliich  may  be  made,  as 
in  the  last  case,  by  the  invertetl  wave  of  the  octave  on  King  ;  and 
as  the  short  quantity  of  the  sylable/a,  will  not  bear  the  prolongation 
of  the  wave,  and  perhaps,  not  even  the  simple  rise  of  an  emphatic 
octave,  without  deforming  its  pronunciation j  the  interogative  ex- 
presion  might  be  efected,  by  taking  fa,  at  the  curent  level  of  the 
voice,  and  then  rising  with  the?',  by  an  upward  skip  of  radical  pitch, 
to  the  hight  of  an  octave,  as  exemplified  in  the  fourteenth  section. 
Horatio  having  then  detailed  the  circumstances  of  the  Ghost's 
visitation,  Hamlet  asksj 

But  where  was  this? 

What  was  said,  in  ilustrating  the  intonation  of  sentences  con- 
structed with  the  adverb  and  pronoun,  aplies  here :  for  as  the 
question  emphatically  regards  the  placej  where  must  have  either  a 
simple  interogative  rise  of  an  octave,  or  fifth,  or  a  union  of  these 
respective  intervals,  in  the  form  of  an  inverted  wavej  and,  was 
this  asumes  the  first  duad  form  of  the  cadence. 

Mar.    My  lord,  upon  the  platform  where  we  watch'd. 
Ham.  Did  you  not  speak  to  it? 

This  is  a  negative  question.  All  that  was  said  formerly  of  the 
examplej  Hath  not  a  Jew  eyes,  and  of  the  other  like  cases,  may 
be  refered  to,  and  aplied  here;  with  the  exception  however,  that 
the  present  question  is  less  vehement,  and  therefore  less  confident 
in  its  asumed  belief,  and  in  the  hope  of  an  acording  answer.  The 
greater  energy  in  the  former  case  required  the  thoro  expresion ; 
here,  the  interogative  may  be  either  thoro  or  partial,  as  Hamlet's 
asumed  degree  of  belief  may  direct.  If  however,  as  it  apears  to 
me,  there  is,  in  the  thot  that  Horatio  should,  yet  might  not  have 
spoken  to  it,  some  pasing  disposition  to  reproof  on  the  part  of 
Hamlctj  the  intonation  should  be  partial,  to  expres  the  reproof, 
perhaps  on  the  word  not,  by  a  positive  downward  interval. 

llor.    My  lord,  I  did  ;  but  answer  made  it  none. 
Ham.  'Tis  very  strange. 

Hor.    As  I  do  live,  my  honored  lord,   'tis  true. 
Ham.   Indeed,  indeed  sirs,  but  this  troubles  me. 
Hold  you  the  watch,  to  night? 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  265 

This  is  a  question  of  ix^al  iiKjuirv,  which  by  our  goncral  rule, 
ciills  for  the  thoro  intonation.  8till  there  may  be  another  cause 
for  it  hero.  Thinkiui;  nu-n  in  their  purposes,  either  good  or  bad^ 
if  indeed,  that  exalted  agent  real  tliinking  ever  stoops,  as  fictional 
tliot  often  does,  to  an  unworthy  purjwsej  always  have  a  motive  for 
them.  When  therefore,  Shakspeare  makes  the  whole  company  at 
once,  answer  this  question,  we  must  supose  it  is  to  show,  the  ques- 
tion is  not  adressed  to  any  one,  but  to  all.  Consequently,  the  in- 
terogative  expresion  should  be  thrown  over  the  Avhole  sentence, 
with  a  slight  emphasis  on,  to  night;  the  time  being  the  unknown ; 
as  liolding  the  watch,  and  the  sentinels  to  be  set,  are  the  given 
quantities,  so  to  speak,  in  the  mind  of  Hamlet. 

All.      We  do,  my  lord. 
Nam.  Arm'd,  shv  you? 

This  is  not  strictly,  a  question  of  real  inquiry.  For  Horatio 
having  formerly  described  the  king,  '  arm'd  at  point,  exactly,  cap- 
i-pe,'  Hamlet  is  aware  of  his  having  so  apeared.  Still,  in  cases 
where  the  mind  is  unprepared  for  a  new  impresion,  and  hardly 
receves  itj  Hamlet  recurs,  by  the  phrasej  say  you,  to  the  former 
report  by  Horatio,  and  asks  for  a  confirmation  of  it.  This,  from 
the  colateral  inference,  being  then  a  question  of  belief,  might  seem 
to  call  for  the  partial  intonation.  Yet  as  the  thot  comes  back  to 
Hamlet,  with  some  surprise ;  as  an  earnestnes  is  implied  in  the 
desire  to  have  the  former  statement  repeated ;  and  as  the  question 
consists  of  only  three  words,  and  those,  important  to  the  point, 
each  should  receve  the  interogative  expresion. 

Ilor.    Arm'd,  my  lord. 
Ham.     From  top  to  toe? 

This  is  a  declaratory  question,  and  requires  the  thoro  interoga- 
tion. 

Hor.    My  lord,  from  head  to  foot. 
Ham,.  Then  saw  you  not  his  face? 

This  is  a  negative  question,  with  its  lusumed  degree  of  belief; 
yet  as  its  temper  is  earnest;  as  the  last  word  is  emphatic,  and 
18 


266  THE   INTONATION 

requires  an  interogative  interv^al,  the  whole  question  calls  for  the 
thoro  expresion. 

Hor.  '  O,  yes,  my  lord  ;    he  wore  his  beaver  up. 
Ham.   "What!     Look'd  he  frowningly  ? 

I  cannot  at  once  determine  for  myself,  the  grama tical  character 
of  the  first  word  of  this  question :  tho  inclined  to  take  it  for  an 
exclamation,  rather  than  an  interogative.  In  each  case  it  must  be 
considered  an  elijjsis ;  in  the  former,  perhaps  for  ichat  a  wonder ; 
in  the  latter  for  what  was  his  apearance  f  As  a  pronominal 
interogaiory,  it  requires  a  wide  rising  interval ;  and  the  folowing 
phrase,  looked  he  frowningly ,  being  a  question  of  real  inquiry,  with 
the  thoro  expresion,  we  have  unecesarily,  and  with  seeming  levity 
of  voice,  two  consecutive  interogations.  In  the  other  case,  taking 
the  pronoun  as  an  eliptical  exclamation,  with  a  do\vnward  fifth  or 
octave,  and  a  subsequent  pause,  the  gravity  of  this  interval  would 
contrast  agreeably  with  the  thoro  rising  interogation,  and  give 
greater  dignity  to  the  whole  expresion. 

Hor,      A  countenance  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger. 
Ham.     Pale,  or  red  ? 

This  is  a  declaratory  eliptical  question,  and  slionld  receve  a 
thoro  interogative.  But  j)ei'haps  we  may  find  an  overruling 
cause  why  it  should  take  the  partial.  These  words  make  an  em- 
phatic contradistinction ;  and  as  that  distinction  must  be  denoted 
by  the  voice,  we  would  give  to  pale,  a  rising  interogative;  and  to 
red,  a  downward  positive  intonation.  Were  the  quantity  of  this 
last  word  greater,  it  might  rccevc,  with  more  j^ropricty,  the  direct 
wave ;  its  first  or  rising  interval,  moderating  by  its  interogative 
efect,  the  positivenes  of  its  downward  termination.  Yet  even 
with  the  single  intervals  above  proposed,  the  question  is  marked, 
and  tlie  w.ords  are  contradistinguislied,  by  an  emphatic  and  varied 
intonation.  This  example  forms  one  of  the  exceptions  to  the  very 
general  rule,  tliat  declarative  questions  should  receve  the  thoro 
interogative  expresion.  Yet  it  is  to  be  remarked  in  tliis  case;  the 
doubting  disjun(!tive  or,  overrules,  in  a  degree,  its  declaratory 
character. 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  267 

Hot.     Nay,  very  pale. 

Ham.    And  fixed  his  eyes  on  you  ? 

This,  if  a  question,  is  a  declarative  one ;  and  requires  the  inter- 
oo:ative  intervals  throuout.  There  seems  nevertheles,  to  l)e  an  in- 
dication of  belief  in  this  sentence,  which  should  make  it  an  atirma- 
tive  remark,  requiring  a  downward  intonation.  If  so,  perhaps 
the  question,  as  noted  by  the  editor,  is  anuled,  upon  this  colateral 
inferencej  that  a  ghost  apearing  to  a  person,  would  very  probably 
fix  his  eyes  on  him. 

Hor.     Most  constantly. 

Ham.   I  would  I  had  been  there. 

Hor.     It  would  have  much  amazed  you. 

//«m.   Very  like,  very  like.     Staid  it  long? 

The  last  three  words,  are  here  the  question ;  and  containing  a 
real  inquiiy,  call  for  the  thoro  expresion. 

Hor.  While  one  with  moderate  haste  might  tell  a  hundred. 

Mar.  Ber.  Longer,  longer. 

Hor.  Not  w^hen  I  saw  it. 

Ham.  His  beard  was  grizl'd  ?     No? 

Hor.  It  was,  as  I  have  seen  it  in  his  life,  a  sable  silvered. 

There  seems  to  be  some  dificulty  in  this  last  question.  If  the 
phraseology  were  completed  thus :  His  beard  was  grizl'd,  was  it 
not?  the  case  would  be  quite  clear.  For,  taking  the  first  phrase 
under  this  form,  as  a  declaratory  question,  it  would  receve  a  thoro 
interogative  intonation  :  the  second,  being  a  "proper  gramatical 
question,  with  its  rising  intervals,  and  folowing  the  first,  would 
have  the  propriety  and  force  of  an  emphatic  repetition  of  the 
question,  under  a  negative  and  apealing  form.  But  when,  as  in 
the  dialogue,  the  construction  of  the  last  phrase  is  reduced  by 
elipsis,  to  the  mono.sylable  no,  and  both  the  phrases  are  then 
made  intonated  question.s,  it  renders  in  some  degree,  the  elocu- 
tion awkward,  and  the  meaning  obscure.  Every  edition  of  Shak- 
spcare  I  have  examined,  makes  each  of  these  phrases,  a  separate 
interogation.  If  they  are  so,  the  first  is  a  declarative  question, 
and  therefore  mu.st  have  the  rising  interval  on  eveiy  word  ;  i\o, 
being  always  declarative  must  have  that  meaning  anuled  by  its 
rising  interval.     The  question   having  however,  been  distinctly 


268  THE   INTONATION 

expresed  by  the  first  phrase,  an  endeavor  to  enforce  it,  nnder  this 
brief  monosylabic  construction,  would  produce  only  an  inefectual 
vocal  repetition.  For  a  single  interogative  interval  on  the  word 
no,  that  in  meaning  and  gramar  never  conveys  a  doubt,  does  not 
here,  give  the  impresion  of  the  question,  which  is  efected,  by  a 
like  interogative  intonation,  on  the  above  proposed  and  full  gram- 
atical  question,  was  it  not  f  If  the  Reader  will  give  a  thoro  ex- 
j3resion  to  these  two  diferent  forms  of  the  sentencej  His  beard  was 
grizl'd  ?  no  ?  and  j  His  beard  was  grizl'd  ?  was  it  not  ?  he  will 
perceve  in  the  laterj  the  inquiry  is  clearly  enforced,  by  its  repeti- 
tion under  the  diferent  form  of  a  negative  apeal ;  in  the  former, 
there  is  some  verbal  contrariety  and  consequently  an  undetermined 
character  in  the  elocution.  For  in  this  case  it  might  seem,  with- 
out due  reflection,  that  Hamlet  having  first  inquired  whether  the 
beard  was  grizled,  imediately  ansAvers  his  own  question,  by  a  dec- 
laration that  it  was  not.  But  taking  this  single  word  acording  to 
the  text,  as  a  question,  even  a  wide  interogative  interval  on  no,  has 
not  the  power  to  destroy  entirely,  the  usual  and  strongly  declara- 
tive meaning  of  this  negative  monosylable.  And  this  produces, 
a  confusion,  which  the  full  gramatical  question^  was  it  not,  would 
entirely  obviate. 

There  is  another  view  to  be  taken  of  this  example ;  for  Elocu- 
tion is  a  curent  of  divided,  and  sometimes  diverging  streams. 
The  phrase.  His  beard  was  grizl'd,  may  be  taken  as  a  positive 
afirmation  by  Hamlet,  from  a  full  recolection  of  its  living  color, 
and  used  as  aditiojial  means  of  identifying  the  aparition  with  his 
father.  In  this  case,  it  should  have  the  downward  intonation  of 
a  comon  asertion.  The  phrase  being  so  regarded,  Hamlet  seems, 
for  a  moment,  to  question  his  own  conviction ;  and  thereupon,  by 
the  declaratory  question,  no,  here  an  elipsis  for^  was  it  not  grizl'd  ? 
asks  Horatio,  by  a  rising  fifth  or  octave,  on  this  negative  mono- 
sylable, if  it  was  not  so.  My  own  ear  and  reflection  incline  me 
to  this  maner  of  treating  the  example.  But  under  ignorance  of 
the  full  verbal  and  mental  analysis  of  the  subject,  the  two  parts  of 
the  sentence,  being  universaly  marked  as  real  and  separate  ques- 
tions, I  did,  on  that  condition,  in  the  first  case,  propose  for  them, 
what  seemed  to  me  a  suitable  intonation. 

To  the  scientific  and  practical  Artist-Reader  of  another  age, 


OF   INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  20 9 

skilod  in  the  principles,  and  if  we  may  so  speak,  in  tlie  design, 
liulit  and  shade,  color,  and  perspective,  of  Elocution,  wc  may 
predict:  that  without  some  further  discernment,  or  a  change  of 
language,  in  ids  day,  the  structure  of  this  sentence  will  never 
alow  a  quite  satisfactory  intonation.  As  however,  Hamlet  must 
speak  from  recolection,  I  would  propose,  acording  to  the  maner 
just  described,  to  make  the  first  clause  a  simple  asertion,  with  a 
downward  intonation ;  and  no,  with  a  wide  interogative  intervaj. 
Yet  this,  from  the  influence  of  the  usualy  unconditional  meaning 
of  no,  does  not  satisfy  me ;  and  perhaps  it  is  only  a  poor  apology 
for  my  own  inability,  to  sayj  the  sentence,  however  it  might  be 
vocaly  That,  should  never  have  been  writen,  to  be  read  aloud,  or 
spoken ;  and  tho  awake  to  a  conventional  expresion,  yet  here, 
Shakspeare,  the  Actor,  slept. 

I  have  said  little  on  the  emphatic  words,  and  other  points  in 
these  questions ;  and  have  only  ocasionaly  noted  the  extent  of  the 
intervals ;  the  object  being,  to  describe  some  of  the  forms  of  partial 
and  thoro  interogation,  and  the  general  character  of  their  expresion ; 
tho  it  may  here  be  remarked,  that  nearly  all  Horatio's  answers 
should  have  thruout,  the  downward  interval  of  a  third  or  fifth, 
acording  to  the  degree  of  expresion  required :  the  intonation 
being  apropriate  to  the  solemnity  of  the  scene,  the  confidence  of 
the  answers,  and  to  the  seriousnes  with  which  Horatio  sympathizes 
with  the  wonder  of  Hamlet.  Add  to  the  propriety  of  this  down- 
ward movement,  the  contrast  with  the  earnestnes  of  the  rising 
intervals  of  Hamlet's  comon  and  declaratory  questions.  Perhaps 
in  the  last  example,  the  several  answers  of  Horatio  and  the  two 
oficers,  having  taken  an  argumentative  and  more  familiar  turn, 
the  intonation  should  be  enlivened  by  a  mingling  use  of  proper 
rising  intervals. 

Among  the  purposes  of  this  Work,  the  title-page  anounces,  its 
design  to  render  criticism  in  elocution,  inteligible,  thru  the  study, 
and  j)romulgati()n  of  its  system  and  princijiles.  I  have  therefore 
aimed  to  show,  by  the  preceding  explanatory  criticisms,  how  these 
principles  may  bo  aplied  ;  leaving  others,  with  competent  knowl- 
edge, and  an  observant  industry  to  make  particular  aplications  for 
themselves.  Personal  Authority  has  always  laid  such  a  stupefying 
weight  on  the  human  mindj  it  is  hoped  this  book  may  be  consulted, 


270  THE   INTONATION 

only  for  those  submited  principles  which  observation,  experiment, 
and  well-watched  thinking,  may  hereafter  confirm ;  and  not  as 
critical  opinions  intended  by  the  author,  only  to  ilusti*ate  his 
subject;  an  ilustration  being  often,  no  more  than  an  analogy  to 
the  meaning  of  a  proposition,  not  an  examplary  proof  of  it. 

We  have  another  instance  of  the  thoro  intonation,  produced  by 
an  excited  state  of  mind,  in  the  retort  of  Cleopatra,  to  Proculeius, 
the  friend  of  Csesar. 

Know,  sir,  that  I 
Will  not  wait  pinioned  at  your  master's  court; 
Nor  once  be  chastised  with  the  sober  eye 
Of  dull  Octavia.     Shall  they  hoist  me  up, 
And  show  me  to  the  shouting  varletry 
Of  censuring  Rom,e  9     Kather  a  ditch  in  ^gypt 
Be  gentle  grave  unto  me. 

The  repulsive  indignation  of  this  question  cannot  be  fairly  rep- 
resented, without  an  earnest  degree  of  interogation.  As  there 
seems  however,  to  be  some  implied  apeal,  in  the  word,  shallj  it 
might  be  suposed,  the  question  is  one  for  partial  intonation.  But 
under  this,  or  any  other  exceptive  condition,  the  pasionative  state 
of  mind  would  overrule  it. 

Should  the  last  sylable  of  a  question  be  emphatic,  and  its  into- 
nation not  directed  to  tlie  partial  expresion  by  the  preceding  rules, 
particularly  that,  regarding  the  seriesj  the  last  sylable  bears  tlie 
interogative  interval.  Should  the  sentence  be  short,  or  consist  of 
a  single  member,  the  expresion  will  have  a  thoro  aplication.  In 
the  dialogue  between  the  murderers  of  Clarence,  the  second  speaker 
exclaims  and  asksj 

What,  shall  we  stab  him  as  he  sleeps? 

From  the  answer  of  his  companion  it  is  plainj  the  question 
points  at  the  act  of  sleeping,  and  this  protluces  an  interogative 
emphasis  on  the  last  word.  Had  the  inquiry  been  whether  the 
victim  should  be  stabbed,  or  otherwise  put  to  dcatli,  the  word  stab 
would  carry  the  emphatic  intonation,  and  the  sentence  might  end 
with  a  diatonic  cadence. 

It  will  be  shown  in  a  future  section  on  Exclamatory  sentences, 
that  a  phrase,  with  the  gramatical  form  of  a  question,  yet  having 


! 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  271 

tlio  intorogative  purpose  overruled  hy  oolatoral  influences,  is  not 
properly  cxpresed  by  rising  intervals,  but  by  a  contrary  movement. 

Having  brought  the  subject  of  thoro  and  of  partial  interrogative 
intonation,  into  something  like  a  describable  form,  I  leave  the 
corection  of  its  erors,  and  the  amplifying  of  its  aproved  hints,  as 
a  work  for  the  beter  ear,  and  closer  attention  of  others. 

Let  as  analyze  more  particularly,  the  maner  of  employing  the 
interogative  intervals  on  individual  sylables. 

Prefatory'  to  this  investigation,  it  is  necesary  to  consider  the  rad- 
ical and  vanishing  movement,  when  aplied  to  short  and  imutiible 
sylables.  In  the  second  section  I  described  the  means  by  which  the 
various  concretes  may  be  exemplified  on  long  quantities;  and  there 
aserted,  that  no  sylalile  however  short,  can  be  utercd  without  pasing 
thro  the  radical  and  vanish,  under  some  form  of  intonation.  Per- 
haps the  Reader  is  now  prepared  to  receve  proof,  that  the  concrete 
does  rapidly  pass  by  wider  intervals,  even  on  immutable  sylables. 

We  will  suppose,  he  is  familiar  with  the  interogative  expresion 
of  a  slow  concrete  rise  by  a  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  on  prolonged 
sylables.  Then  let  him  pronounce  the  i mutable  sylable  top,  without 
meaning  or  pasion ;  and  again,  as  an  earnest  question.  He  will 
perceve,  in  the  last  case,  that  however  quickly  utered,  it  will  still 
have  the  peculiar  interogative  expresion.  This  interogative  ex- 
presion, on  the  slow  time  of  an  indefinite  sylable,  is  audibly  and 
measurably  made  by  the  wider  interval  of  the  fifth  or  octave ;  and 
as  there  is  no  other  means  for  producing  concretely  this  interogative 
efectj  the  inference  is  fair,  that  the  voice  in  producing  that  same 
efect  on  a  short  sylable,  must  have  pa.sed,  however  rapidly  by  one 
of  those  wider  intervals.  For  it  cannot  in  this  case,  procede  from 
a  peculiar  voeality ;  nor  from  an  impresive  degree  of  force ;  and 
that  it  is  not  produced  soley  by  a  radical  skip  of  the  sylable  to 
a  high  place  of  pit<'h,  may  be  heard  in  the  folowing  experiment. 
Let  the  Reader  rise  step  by  step  thru  the  musical  scale,  on  the 
word  top',  taking  care  to  give  it  no  more  than  the  concrete  of  a 
second  at  each  degree  :  yet  with  this  discrete  rise  to  any  hight,  there 
will  be  no  interogative  efect.  To  what  then  is  this  effect,  on  an 
imutable  sylable  to  be  ascribed,  if  not  to  a  momentary  concrete 
flight  of  the  \'o\QXi,  on  an  interogative  interval?  The  audible  efect 
justifies  the  conclusion  ;  tho  the  increments  of  time  and  sj)ac(!  on 


272  THE    INTONATION 

the  scale,  so  distinctly  perceptible  in  the  slower  concrete,  are  on 
the  imutable  sylable,  altogether  beyond  measurement. 

From  this  view  of  the  diference  in  time  of  the  radical  and 
vanish,  on  indefinite  and  on  imutable  sylables ;  and  with  reference 
to  the  uses  of  their  diferent  times  in  the  intonation  of  interogative 
sentencesj  let  us  call  the  measurable  movement  of  the  voice  thru 
an  indefinite  sylable,  the  Slow  Concrete :  and  its  momentary  flight 
thru  a  short  and  an  imutable  one,  the  Rapid  Concrete. 

It  apears  by  the  trials  above  proposed,  that  the  interogative 
efeet  is  producible  on  the  shortest  sylables;  and  similar  experi- 
ments warant  the  general  conclusion,  that  every  interval  of  the 
scale  in  whatever  time,  is  practicable  on  every  sylabic  quantity  of 
speech.  It  is  however  to  be  remarked  that  the  rapid  flight  of  the 
wider  intervals  thru  short  sylables,  compared  with  their  slow  move- 
ment on  the  indefinite,  has  a  feeblenes  of  interogative  expresion, 
directly  proportional  to  its  rapidity ;  and  consequently,  that  the 
slow  and  distinctly  measurable  concrete  on  indefinite  sylables  pro- 
duces a  more  marked  impresion  on  the  ear.  Yet  it  is  desirable 
that  the  thoro  expresion  should  be  equaly  diffused  over  the  sen- 
tence ;  and  as  all  sylables  have  not  sufficient  length,  to  bear  the 
slow  and  most  impressive  interrogative  concrete,  it  follows  that 
other  means  besides  those  already  described,  must  be  employed  on 
short  sylables,  for  effecting  with  uniformity,  the  intonation  of  a 
question.  The  means  for  strengthening  the  comparative  feeble- 
ness of  interrogative  expression  on  short  sylables,  consists  in 
raising  them,  by  change  of  radical  jMtch,  by  the  interrogative 
interval,  to  the  line  at  the  summit  of  the  slow  concretes  on  in- 
definite quantities;  as  the  following  notation  of  an  instance  of 
thorough  expression  will  exemplify. 

Give     Bru tus        a    sti^t- — -uo     with     his    an ces tors  ? 


j=rjf=i/-j=J=:/=p^ 


£f  Eg 


In  this  case  tlie  interrogative  intonation  is  made  by  tiie  fifth  on 
every  sylable.  On  the  iirat  two,  which  are  indefinite  and  emphatic, 
the  slow  and  measurable  concrete  is  used.    The  third  beiue:  iramut- 


OF  intp:rrogative  sentences.  .  273 

able,  cimnot  bear  tlie  slow  concrete ;  the  j)itcli  is  therefore  sud- 
denly transfered  by  radical  chanj^e  to  the  hio;ht  of  the  precedinji; 
vanish  ;  where,  at  the  stimc  moment,  the  sylablc  takes  on  the  rapid 
concrete  o£  the  fifth  as  represented  by  the  diminished  syinbol.  The 
melody  continues  at  this  hight,  on  all  the  following  unemphatic 
sylables,  or  which,  if  cm])hatic  as  may  be  said  of  stat,  are  of  im- 
mutable quantity.  From  /</.y,  the  radical  pitch  descends  to  the 
indefinite  sylable  an,  for  the  purj)ose  of  rising  on  this  sylable  by 
the  slow  concrete ;  and  the  two  final  short  quantities  terminate  the 
melody,  by  radical  change  and  the  rajnd  concrete. 

It  is  by  this  method  then,  the  union  of  a  radical  change  with 
the  ra])id  concrete,  that  a  full  and  forcible  interrogative  intona- 
tion is  given  to  those  sylables,  which  are  too  short  to  admit  of  the 
slower  and  measurable  movement. 

The  Reader  may  observe  the  effect  of  this  radical  change,  by 
deliberately  pronouncing  the  noun  convict,  as  an  earnest  question. 
The  sylable  con  being  an  indefinite  quantity,  and  emphatic,  w'ill 
be  distinctly  heard  to  rise  concretely  from  a  given  point  of  pitch, 
to  the  place  of  the  fifth  or  octave,  according  to  the  earnestness  of 
the  expression ;  and  the  immutable  sylable  vict,  with  its  discrete 
skip  and  rapid  concrete,  will  be  heard  at  the  hight  of  that  pre- 
vious vanish.  If  vict,  after  the  slower  rise  of  con,  is  kept  down 
at  the  level  of  the  radical  of  con,  and  there  uttered  with  a  rapid 
concrete  rise,  carefully  guarding  against  the  descent  to  a  close,  the 
interrogative  intonation  is  still  perceptible,  but  in  a  degree  far 
inferior  to  the  keen  questioning  of  the  radical  skip,  combined 
with  the  rapid  concrete. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  assign  the  cause  why  the  interrogative  effect 
of  the  rapid  concrete  is  enforced,  by  its  being  taken  on  the  higher 
places  of  the  scale.  For  the  rise  by  the  slow  concrete  is  after  all, 
but  a  gradual  change  from  a  low  to  a  high  pitch ;  and  tho  that 
gradual,  or  continuous  change  is  plainly  distinguishable,  in  its 
degree  of  expression,  from  a  diso^ete  skip  to  the  same  hight,  still 
an  essential  yet  not  the  exclusive  agency  of  the  gradual  movement, 
is  its  designating  that  higher  ])lace  by  terminating  there.  This 
d&signation  is  the  sole  efficient  in  the  radical  skip;  and  like  that 
of  two  discrete  notes  on  a  musical  instrument,  when  heard  succes- 
sively, as  the  extremes  of  a  wide  interval  of  the  scale,  it  docs  in 


274  THE    INTONATION 

effect  closely  resemble  a  concrete  transition  between  the  same  ex- 
tremes. When  to  this  effect  of  the  radical  change,  the  co-oper- 
ating expression  of  the  rapid  concrete  is  added,  the  combined  effects 
become  equivalent  to  the  interrogative  expression,  produced  by 
the  slow  concrete  on  an  indefinite  sylable. 

As  the  rapid  concrete  of  a  short  sylable,  even  if  emphatic,  pro- 
duces hoAvever  moderately,  an  interrogative  expression,  it  may  be 
used  luithout  the  radical  change,  in  cases  not  requiring  a  strongly 
marked  intonation  of  the  question.  In  other  words,  all  the  inter- 
rogative sylables  of  sentences  bearing  the  partial  expression,  for 
a  thoro  expression  is  generally  forcible,  may  be  kept  at  about  the 
same  line  of  radical  pitch.  But  the  short  sylables  so  assigned, 
must  still  perform  their  rapid  concrete  in  the  appropriate  interrog- 
ative interval :  and  it  will  generally  be  found,  that  the  moderate 
temper  of  such  questions  has  the  abated  expression,  ascribed  to 
the  Third,  in  the  history  of  that  interval. 

Besides  that  succession  of  radical  change  above  noted  and  ex- 
plained, there  is  another  method  of  applying  the  general  principle 
of  its  formation  and  use.  When  the  first  part  of  a  sentence  con- 
sists of  short  quantities,  the  interogative  expresion  may  be  made, 
by  the  voice  seting  out  at  once  with  a  rapid  concrete,  on  the  higher 
pitch,  and  descending  afterwards  at  the  first  emphatic  sylable  of 
long  quantity.  By  taking-away  from  the  preceding  example,  the 
first  two  slow  concretes,  and  seting  over  the  remaining  syuibols, 
the  folowing  phrase,  as  an  earnest  questionj 

Pitt  a  statue  with  his  ancestors  ? 

it  will  have  the  just  interogative  expresion. 

Perhaps  the  Reader  is  now  prepared  for  this  general  statement; 
That  the  current  melody  of  interogation,  in  sentences  requiring 
the  Thoro  expresion,  is  made  by  the  slow  concrete  interval  of  the 
third  or  fifth  or  octave,  on  long  and  emphatic  sylables ;  and  by  a 
change  of  radical  i)itch,  together  with  the  rapid  concrete,  on  the 
short  and  unemphatic,  and  the  unacented;  that  in  sentences,  re- 
stricted to  the  Partial  expresion,  tlie  intonation  is  made  by  a  similar 
use  of  the  above  named  interogative  intervals,  in  conection  with 
the  phrasas  of  the  (!omon  diatonic  melody ;  and  that  in  each  sojja- 
rate  case  of  a  Thoro,  or  Partial  expresion,  the  interogation  may  in 


OF  INTERROGATIVE  SENTENCES.  •  275 

the  same  sentence,  be  formal  soley  by  the  Third,  or  Fiftli,  or 
Octave,  or  these  several  intervals  may  be  used  together  in  the  same 
sentence;  as  the  words  require,  on  the  one  hand,  tlic  same  degree 
of  exj)rcsion,  and  on  the  other,  an  aplication  of  the  difercnt  inter- 
vals to  the  varying  demands  of  those  words. 

Having  shown,  witli  regard  to  interogative  intonation,  tluit  all 
the  riainr/  intorval.'i  arc  practicable  on  the  shortest  sylabic  timej 
their  expresion,  however  moderate,  being  by  what  we  have  called 
the  Kapid  concretej  it  should  here  be  adcd,  that  univcrsaly,  the 
characteristic  efects  of  all  the  intervals,  both  upward  and  down- 
ward, are  perceptible  on  short  and  unacented  sylables.  With  this 
principle  of  intonation  in  view,  the  Reader  is  refcred  to  the 
eleventh  section,  where  the  use  of  the  rapid  concrete  is  transiently 
aludecl  to,  in  aplication  to  an  exemplified  instance  of  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  character  of  a  short,  with  that  of  the  full  expresion  of 
an  extended  sylable.     It  Ls  there  said  of  the  linej 

Pardon  me,  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth. 

That,  by  the  slow  concrete  on  par,  and  on  bleed,  together  with  a 
certain  co-operation  by  the  other  sylables,  the  due  expresion  is 
spread  efectively  over  the  whole  line.  And  it  now  apearsj  the 
same  plaintive  interval  of  the  same  time,  which  is  slowly  employed 
on  tliose  two  prolongable  quantities,  is,  tlio  faintly,  perceved  in  its 
rapid  flight  thru  the  short  and  unacented  sylables;  each  form 
of  intonation  contributing  a  difercnt  portion  and  degree  of  the 
intended  expresion. 

Let  us  now  learn  the  means  for  constructing  the  Cadence  of  in- 
terogative sentences :  or,  as  most  of  these  sentences  have  not  the 
peculiar  close  or  descent  of  the  cadence,  strictly  so  caledj  let  us  to 
Ije  more  precLsej  learn  the  maner  of  intonation  on  their  three  final 
sylables. 

The  close  of  a  sentence  with  the  Thoro  expresion,  is  made  in 
one  of  the  folowing  forms.  And  let  the  Reader  remember,  that 
when  aplied  to  proper  interogative  sentences,  the  terms  slow  and 
rapid  concrete,  mean  always,  the  rise  of  the  interval ;  for  there  is 
a  distinction  to  be  made  between  these  sentences,  and  others,  with  the 
gramifctical  construction  of  a  question,  which  require  the  downward 
intervals. 


276  THE   INTONATION 

In  the  First,  if  the  three  sylables  are  iinemphatic,  or  imutable  if 
emphatic,  or  are  the  unacented  sylables  of  an  emphatic  wordj  the 
interogative  efect  is  produced  by  a  radical  change,  and  a  rapid  con- 
crete of  these  final  sylables :  these  sylables  at  their  elevated  pitch, 
being  caried  on  in  the  phrase  of  the  monotone,  or  of  the  rising 
ditone.  For  the  interogative  expresion  always  implying  a  contin- 
uation of  the  voice,  as  distinguished  from  the. close  of  the  Triadj 
the  above  named  phrases  do  add  their  peculiar  character  to  that  of 
the  rapid  concrete,  and  thus  efect  the  required  continuation,  at  the 
end  of  the  sentence.     This  species  of  close  is  here  exemplified. 

He        said        you  were  in com pa ra — ble  ? 


^F=i—y—4—J-=^I^ 


~^  J 


In  the  Second ;  the  same  thoro  expresion  being  still  suposed  j  if 
the  antepenult  sylable  is  emphatic,  and  of  indefinite  quantity,  it 
asumes  the  slow  concrete,  and  the  last  two  take  on  the  radical 
change  and  the  rapid  concretej  shown  by  the  notation  of  the  word 
ancestors  in  a  preceding  example. 

In  the  Third ;  if  the  penult  is  a  long  quantity,  it  will  rise  by 
the  slow  concrete ;  and  the  last  will  have  the  rapid  concrete  with 
the  radical  change.  This  form  of  intonation  may  be  obvious 
without  a  diagram  ;  and  from  what  has  been  already  shown,  it 
will  be  unecesary  to  give  an  ilustration  by  the  staff,  to  all  the 
suceding  descriptions  within  the  present  subject. 

In  the  Fourth ;  if  the  last  sylable  of  a  sentence  requiring  the 
thoro  expresion,  is  emphatic  and  capable  of  bearing  the  slow  con- 
crete, it  asumes  that  form  of  intonation.  Under  this  condition, 
the  radical  pitch  of  the  three  sylables  may  go  thru  the  downward 
tritone,  as  here  represented. 

Give         Fiib ills        a  tri umph     for    his     dc — lat/? 


^^^^^S 


OF  INTERROGATrV^E  SENTENCES.  277 

III  this  instance,  the  concrete  rises  of  the  octave,  iifth,  or  third, 
i\s  tlie  c^><e  may  be,  will  create  a  perception  of  continuity,  and 
counteract  the  tendency  of  the  radical  descent,  thru  three  sucesive 
tones,  to  produce  a  close  :  for  it  is  a  condition  of  the  terniinative 
cadence,  that  the  \-anish  of  its  last  sylable  should  be  in  a  downward 
direction. 

A\'hen  a  sentence  has  the  Partial  expresion,  and  the  last  words 
do  not  require  the  interogative  intervals,  the  cadence  should  be 
diatonic,  and  therefore  terminate  with  the  apropriate  triad.  But 
questions  with  the  partial  expresion  sometimes  have  one  of  the 
last  three  sylables  emphatic,  which  then  calls  for  an  interrogative 
interval.  Under  tliis  condition,  the  folowing  will  be  the  structure 
of  the  cadence. 

First.  When  the  antepenult  sylable  is  emphatic,  and  of  indefi- 
nite quantity,  it  will  take  the  slow  interogative  interval ;  and  the 
last  two  will  sucesively  descend  from  the  point  below  the  radicid 
of  that  concrete,  and  form  with  it,  a  proper  diatonic  triad. 

Second.  Should  the  penult  be  emphatic,  and  bear  the  slow  con- 
crete, the  last  sylable  will  have  its  radical  pitch  a  tone  below  that 
of  the  preceding,  and  by  its  downward  vanish  will  produce  the 
close  of  the  triad  ;  the  emphatic  sylable  with  its  interogative  into- 
nation, lx}ing  in  radical  pitch,  a  tone  below  the  antepenult.  This 
construction  however,  is  not  comon ;  for  if  the  emjihatic  interoga- 
tive expresion  on  the  concrete  interval  comes  so  near  the  close,  it 
is  gencraly  continued,  by  the  last  sylable  rising  with  the  radical 
change. 

Third.  A\^hen  the  final  sylable  is  emphatic,  and  of  indefinite 
time,  the  cadence  is  made  like  that  of  the  last  diagram,  in  the 
preceding  acount  of  thoro  expresion. 

The  history  here  given  of  interogative  intonation,  embraces  a 
few  leading  observations  on  its  forms  and  efects:  and  the  whole 
subject  ofers  some  interesting  views  on  the  philosophy  of  the 
human  mind,  as  well  as  that  of  speech.  It  shows  how  far,  the 
demands  of  thot  and  pasion  outrun  the  significant  powers  of  the 
voice  at  ])rescnt  in  use ;  how  counter-cu rents  of  expresion  meet 
without  confusion  ;  and  how  varied  states  of  mind,  under  the 
same  forms  of  intonation,  are  distinguished  by  the  conventional 
specificatioiLS  of  language.     I  leave  the  discovery  and  betcr  ar- 


278  THE   RISING   SECOND, 

rangement,  of  other  phenomena,  and  of  the  rule  of  their  variety, 
for  the  observation  of  the  Reader.  Upon  some  future  extension 
of  the  principles  of  this  esay  to  the  universal  practice  of  speech, 
the  subject  of  interogative  intonation  will  form  a  full  chapter  of 
methodic  detail.  I  see,  perhaps  dimly,  some  of  its  abundant  and 
unsorted  materials ;  but  have  not  time,  if  even  the  abilit}',  to  light- 
up,  to  gather-in,  to  disentangle,  to  specify,  combine,  and  complete. 
What  is  here  done,  may  seem  to  be  too  much.  For  the  present 
age,  I  beleve  it  is.  But  this  is  a  concesion  altogether  foreign  to 
our  anticipations  of  the  progres  of  knowledge,  and  to  the  pleasure 
we  may  derive  from  our  atempt  to  unfold  it.  A  history  of  the 
desirable  and  welcome  truth  of  Nature,  in  the  dignified  confidence 
of  even  its  humble  contributions,  no  more  asks  the  favor  and 
aplause  of  those  who  read,  than  Nature  herself  asks  the  gratitude 
and  worship  of  those  who  enjoy  her  bounties.  She  gives  what 
she  gives,  in  her  own  prideles  wisdom,  Mdthout  distracting  her 
self-energized  dispensations,  by  the  subordinate  schemes  of  hopeful 
ambition.  A  record  of  her  admirable  things  should  be,  in  all,  the 
image  of  her ;  and  perhaps  he  would  both  do  and  enjoy  more,  in 
the  work  of  discovering  and  describing  her,  who  could  catch  a 
portion  of  the  unostentatious  liberality  with  which  she  bestows, 
and  who  could  put  on  some  of  her  indiference,  to  the  too  often 
thotles  praise  or  blame  of  those  who  receve. 


SECTION  XVIII. 
Oj  (he  Interval  of  the  Rising  Second, 

We  return  from  the  foregoing  acount  of  the  use  of  the  wider 
intervals  of  pitch,  in  the  construction  of  interogative  melody,  to 
the  enumeration  and  description  of  other  intervals  of  more  limited 
extent,  yet  of  no  less  esential  eficacy  in  the  scale  of  intonation. 

The  rising  interval  of  the  second  or  tone,  both  in  its  concrete, 
and  in  its  discrete  form,  has  in  previous  parts  of  this  esay  been 


THE   RISING  SECOND.  279 

atentively  considered,  with  regard  to  its  character  and  its  position 
in  speech.  Continuin*^  our  orderly  notice  of  all  the  intervals  of 
the  st"ale,  we  lierc  resume  the  subject  of  this  Second,  with  some 
further  remarks  on  its  important  uses.  It  is  the  basis  of  the  dia- 
tonic melody ;  and  is  apropriate  to  those  thotive  parts  of  discourse 
which  convey  the  plain  meaning  of  the  sj)caker,  as  distinguished 
from  those  pasionative  states  of  mind,  that  call  for  wider  intervals, 
and  other  signs  of  Expresion.  Altho  the  Tone,  in  its  simplest 
state,  is  excluded  from  among  the  especial  agents  of  expresion,  we 
shall  hereafter  learnj  it  may  be  made  impresive  by  stres  on  dif- 
erent  parts  of  its  concrete ;  and  that  an  extension  of  the  voice  into 
the  wave  of  this  interval,  gives  an  admirative  or  reverentive 
dignity  to  the  diatonic  melody,  without  destroying  the  plain  and 
unobtrusive  character  of  its  intonation. 

The  radical  and  vanish  is  a  necesary  function  of  uterance ;  for 
no  sylabic  impulse  can  be  made,  without  passing  thru  some  one 
form  of  the  concrete.  In  aserting,  that  imutable  sylables  in  a 
diatonic  melody  do  })ass  instantaneously  thru  the  second  or  tone,  I 
confes  my  ear  cannot  measure  the  pro(/res  of  the  transition.  Yet  I 
am  led  to  the  conclusion,  by  the  folowing  considerations. 

Every  equable  concrete  uterance  of  a  tone,  with  its  measurable 
increments  of  time  and  motion,  has  manifestly  the  radical  and 
vanishing  progresion.  When  therefore  the  time  of  this  slow  and 
manifest  concrete,  is  gradualy  shortened,  in  repeated  pronunciation, 
till  it  becomes,  seemingly  a  point  of  soundj  the  intonaiive  eject  of 
this  instant-impulse  on  the  ear,  does  not  difer  matcrialy  from  that 
of  the  concrete,  in  which  the  increments  of  time  and  the  progres 
of  pitch  are  clearly  measural)le. 

And  further,  it  has  been  shown,  that  the  concrete  interogative 
intervals  of  the  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  may  be  pased  thru  on  an 
iniutiblc  sylable.  This  was  proved  by  the  peculiar  eject  of  the 
interogative  voice  being  thereon  distinctly  conizablc ;  and  we  shall 
learn  in  the  next  section,  that  the  semitone,  which  by  its  peculiar 
expresion  cannot  be  mistaken,  does  likewise  pass  thru  the  concrete, 
on  the  shortest  sylables.  We  can  then  scarcely  suposcj  the  Tone 
has  not  the  same  concrete  movement  on  momentary  sylables,  as  all 
the  other  intervals  of  the  scale  when  utered  with  the  same  mo- 
mentary impulse.     There  is   however  a  plain   but  characteristic 


280  THE   RISING   SECOXD. 

efect  in  the  thotive  momentary  fliglit  of  imutable  sylables,  clearly 
distinguishable  from  that  of  their  prolonged  and  pasionative  uter- 
ance  on  the  concrete  space  of  a  semitone,  third,  and  other  wider 
intervals.  This  may  be  only  an  instant-point  of  voice ;  but  under 
the  above  inference,  we  are  scarcely  alowed  to  doubt,  its  being  a 
rapid  concrete  pasage  thru  the  second  or  tone.  We  learned,  in 
the  seventeenth  section,  that  the  wider  intervals  are  heard  with 
both  the  slow  and  the  rapid  concrete,  in  interogative  sentences. 
Finding  here  that  the  like  times  of  movement  are  used  in  the 
simple  second ;  and  as  intimated  above,  it  is  the  same  with  the 
semitone ;  we  may  state  this  general  law  of  intonationj  that  all 
intervals,  whether  thotive  or  expresive,  are  employed  both  in  the 
up\vard  and  downward  direction,  under  the  two  forms  of  slow 
and  of  rapid  concrete,  respectively  on  the  long  and  short  quantity 
of  sylables. 

Perhaps  the  Reader  may  desire  to  know  particularly,  what 
portions  of  discourse  receve  the  tone  or  second ;  and  with  what 
continuity  the  diatonic  melody  is  employed.  In  describing  and 
ilustrating  this  melody,  it  was,  acording  to  the  plan  of  gradualy 
unfolding  our  subject,  represented  as  continuing  thru  sucesive  sen- 
tences. The  diatonic  movement  is  however,  rarely  found  of  long 
continuation ;  the  curent  of  the  Tone  being  ocasionaly  interupted 
by  some  exj)ressive  form  of  upward  and  downward  concrete,  and 
of  radical  pitch.  We  have  already  learned  in  what  maner  the 
wider  rising  intervals  are  employed  in  this  melody,  both  for  em- 
phasis, and  interogation.  Other  intonative  means  arc  introduced 
for  the  same  purpose.  As  ocasions  for  using  emphatic  or  pasion- 
ative intervals  ocur  in  discourse,  the  diatonic  melody  generaly  ex- 
ists only  in  limited  portions ;  its  continuity  in  the  tone  or  second 
being  broken  by  these  imprcsive  intervals,  more  or  less  frequently, 
as  the  various  forms  of  their  intonation  may  require.  A  gazete 
advertisement,  a  legal  instrument,  and  the  purely  comunicative 
style  of  plain  narative  and  description,  may  generaly  be  read  in 
this  melody.  Yet  even  these  must  have  emphatic  words  that  call 
for  some  expresive  vocal  sign ;  and  rarely,  compositions  adressed 
to  taste,  are  without  their  melody  bciug  ocasionaly  varied,  by  the 
more  or  less  frequent  ocurencc  of  other  intervals  than  the  second. 
Acording:  to  the  line  I  have  endeavored  to  draw  between  thot  and 


THE    RISING   SECOND.  281 

pasion,  and  consistently  with  their  apropriatc  intonation,  it  mi<i:;ht 
be  supose<l,  the  propositions  of  Euoh'd  should  he  read  in  the  con- 
tinuous diatonic  melody ;  hut  even  these  are  often  varied  by  wider 
intervals,  intrtxluced  upon  ilative,  al)solute,  conditional  or  except- 
ive i)hrascs.  The  fragments  of  this  melody,  ocuring  in  prose 
declamation,  in  poetry,  and  in  the  drama,  are  generaly  of  limited 
extent:  and  comon  sj)eech  when  not  plainly  didactic  nor  designedly 
solemn,  nor  unavoidably  dullj  in  the  heedles  curent  of  its  intona- 
tions, almost  efaces  the  simple  lines  of  the  thotive  second,  by  the 
vivid  coloring  of  its  widely-^•aried  intervals. 

The  diatonic  melodyj  far  as  practicable  with  our  intermingling 
divisions^  is  asigned  restrictively,  to  a  character  of  discourse  caled 
narative ;  and  it  being  desirablcj  this  melody  should  be  executed 
with  the  greatest  propriety  and  elegance,  we  must  carefuly  regard 
the  uses  of  the  interval  of  the  second  for  the  atainment  of  these 
ends. 

This  proper  second  of  the  diatonic  melody,  not  having  the  vocal 
expresion  of  other  intervals,  is  limited  in  its  efective  character,  to 
the  means  of  time,  and  stres,  on  its  own  simple  concrete,  and  wave. 
The  difcrent  forms  of  stress  aplicable  to  a  simple  concrete  rise  of 
the  second,  will  be  described  in  a  future  section.  The  other  prin- 
cipal means  for  ading  dignity  and  grace  to  this  plain  melody,  is 
that  of  a  long  quantity;  by  continuing  the  uj)ward  into  the  down- 
ward second,  in  the  form  of  a  Wave.  It  is  not  however,  pro- 
longation alone,  that  produces  a  dear  and  agreeable  efect,  in  a 
dignified  form  of  diatonic  speech.  That  length  should  be  made 
in  the  equable  concrete  movement;  and  further,  the  wave,  as  well 
as  the  simple  rise,  should  have  the  initial  fulnes,  and  gradual  ter- 
mination, except  otherwise  varied  by  the  purposes  of  stres.  He 
who  has  not  cultivated  his  voice  in  these  particulars,  will  find  it 
dificult  to  give  extended  length  to  an  indefinite  sylable,  with  its 
coexistent  equability  and  vanish;  and  will,  on  trial,  be  very  apt  to 
cary  out  a  long  quantity,  with  the  intonation  of  song.  ]}ut  if  he 
will  throw  away  some  of  his  conventional  thot,  about  a  'Natural 
Turn'  for  things;  and  all  his  vain  conceit  about  self-suficicnt 
'Genius,'  and  'promptings  of  the  heart;'  cease  to  beleve,  that  a 
good  elocution  is  coeval  with  the  first  cries  of  infancy  ;  and  then 
set  himself  to  learn  the  rudiments,  and  overcome  the  difliculties 
19 


282  THE   CHROMATIC 

of  this  elegant  artj  the  light  and  guidance  of  knowledge  and 
principles  may  lead  him  to  an  unering  comand  over  the  equable 
concrete,  and  to  the  atainment  of  every  propriety  of  speech. 

Facility  in  managing  long  quantities  on  indefinite  sylables,  with 
a  precision  of  interval,  and  a  smoothnes  and  nicety  of  vanish  in 
the  execution  of  this  equable  movement,  is  one  of  the  most  efective 
resources  of  a  speaker.  The  skilful  performance  of  this  concrete 
function,  in  the  impresive  fulnes  and  dignity  of  the  Orotund,  gives 
that  ear-felt  satisfaction,  when  an  aconiplished  Actor,  as  I  have 
heard  it,  with  his  masterly  comand  of  voice,  first  takes  part  in 
the  dialogue,  even  on  a  solitary  sylable :  while  the  Young  '  Genius 
of  Inspiration,'  stooping  for  help  to  Green  Room  traditions ;  and 
distracted  perhaps  by  a  buz  in  the  audience,  or  a  mistake  of  his 
Costumer,  is  obliged  to  work  thru  a  whole  act,  before  he  is  able 
to  feel  himself,  as  he  calls  it,  up  to  the  full  power  of  his  voice. 
But  science,  with  time,  is  always  ready  to  prevent,  tho  it  can  rarely 
cure,  the  obstinacy  of  ignorance  and  conceit. 


SECTION    XIX. 

Of  the  Interval  of  the  Rising  Semitone;   and  of  the   Chromatie 
Melody  founded  thereon. 

The  smallest  but  not  the  least  important  division  of  the  scale, 
on  which  the  radical  and  vanish  may  be  heard  and  measured,  is 
the  interval  of  a  Semitone.  In  the  second  section  of  this  esay, 
we  learned  the  means  for  acquiring  a  distinct  perception  of  this 
concrete  interval.  It  was  there  saidj  if,  in  ascending  the  scale, 
the  efect  of  the  transition  from  the  seventh  to  tlic  cightii  place  is 
compared  with  the  sylabic  uterancc  of  a  plaintive  state  of  mind, 
their  identity  will  be  acknowledged.  This  interval  from  the 
seventh  to  the  eighth,  in  the  diatonic  scale,  is  a  semitone.  It  is 
used  in  speech  for  tho  cxprcsion  of  complaint,  pity,  grief,  plaintive 
Huplication,  and  other  states  alied  to  these. 


MELODY   OF  SPEECH.  283 

In  ascending  the  diatonic  scalej  by  a  repetition  of  tlic  word^re, 
subdivided  into  two  sylables,  with  a  prefix  of  the  subtonic  y-e  to 
the  last,  so  that  ^i  and  yer  shall  be  alternately  set  on  sucessive 
points  of  the  scalcj  the  transition  from  the  seventh  to  the  eighth 
place,  when  the  word  is  contracted  to  its  8ingle  sylabic  state  ofjire, 
gives  by  its  radical  t,  passing  into  its  vanish  7-j  the  same  j)laintive 
expresion  it  has  in  the  streets,  on  the  public  outcry  of  alarm. 

Intonation  by  the  concrete  semitone  is  universaly,  the  sign  of 
animal  distres ;  and  when  exemplified  by  the  scale,  the  efect  is 
very  diferent  from  that  of  the  concrete  passage  of  the  word  as  a 
single  sylable,  thru  the  space  of  a  whole  tone,  between  its  first  and 
second  degrees.  Among  a  multitude  of  voices  where  the  alarm 
o^  fire  is  given  by  public  cry,  this  uterance  of  the  second  is  oca- 
sionaly  heard ;  and  perhaps  some  of  my  Readers  may  be  able  to 
call  to  mind  the  defect  of  its  unsympathizing  diference  from  the 
plaintive  intonation  of  the  great  majority.  It  cannot  be  exempli- 
fied by  the  pen;  but  when  the  uncomon  impresion  of  a  particular 
cry,  among  a  number,  is  not  produced  by  vocality  or  by  shrilnes, 
it  generaly  arises  from  this  misaplied  form  of  pitch.  Without 
the  means  of  close  acquaintance  with  men,  they  may  be  estimated 
by  certain  characteristics  of  their  classes ;  and  tho  our  judgments 
in  the  case  may  sometimes  be  eroneous,  there  is  often  truth,  and 
always  caution  in  this  method  of  opinion.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I 
never  hear  the  phlegmatic  cry  of  fire,  on  a  whole  tone,  particularly 
in  the  Thoro  stress,  without  a  persuasion  of  the  general  im])otence 
or  deformity  of  the  voice  or  the  ear,  that  in  this  particular,  can  so 
far  transgres  the  ordination  of  nature.* 

*  Since  the  first  publication  of  this  Work,  in  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven,  the  practice  of  outcry  in  the  streets  of  Philadelphia,  has  in  eighteen 
hundred  and  fifty-fivej  the  date  of  this  Note^  entirely  pased  away.  Instead 
therefore  of  being  as  formorlj',  arouzed  in  the  stilncs  of  midnight,  by  the 
Watchman's  holow  Orotund,  to  tho  plaintive  interests  and  solemn  contrasts 
of  near  and  distant  solitary  cries,  awakening  our  safety,  to  symjiatliy  with 
the  perils  of  a  conflagration  ;  hear  what  we  have  now,  under  the  prosperous 
onward-ism  of  our  great  political,  moral,  and  esthetic  '  mission  :'  the  Alarm- 
bells  of  a  whole  city  at  once;  the  jangling  clapers  of  Hose-cariages  without 
number;  the  ceaseles  roar  of  inarticulate  trumjjets;  the  screams  of  boys;  the 
yells  of  men  ;  the  wrangling  preparations  for  a  street-fight ;  the  oM<-shouling 
shouts,  upon  the  first  voley  of  stones;  the  discharge  of  revolvers;  the  u[>roar 
of  a  thousand  brutal  throats;  and  tho  cautious  absence  of  a  '  non-comiltal' 


284  THE   CHROMATIC 

The  semitone  is  employed  for  moderate  degrees  of  expresion ; 
and  rarely  for  great  energy,  harshnes,  or  violence  of  pasion.  It 
afects  generaly  a  slow  time  and  long  quantity.  The  interjeetive 
exclamations  of  jjain,  grief,  love,  and  compassion,  are  prolonga- 
tions of  the  several  tonic  elements  on  this  interval.  The  effect 
however  of  its  rapid  concrete  is  distinctly  perceptible,  on  the  short 
time  of  imutable  sylables.  For  it  will  be  found  by  experiment, 
that  the  word  cup,  with  other  imutables,  can  be  utered  with  a 
plaintive  intonation,  even  in  its  shortest  time.  As  this  plaintis^e- 
nes,  so  distinctly  measurable  on  short  quantity,  is  always  produced 
by  the  concrete  semitone,  and  not  by  any  other  known  interval^  it 
may  be  fairly  concluded,  that  when  heard  on  an  imutable  sylable, 
the  semitone  is  rapidly  performed,  even  tho  the  gradual  course  of 
its  time  and  motion  is  imperceptible;  showing  the  plaintive  use  of 
the  semitone,  to  be  within  the  general  laAV  of  intonationj  and  that 
every  interval  is  heard,  in  both  the  slow  and  the  rapid  concrete,  as 
the  diferent  times  of  sylables  direct. 

In  the  next  section,  we  shall  learn  the  uses  of  the  downward 
vanishing  movement.  It  is  necesary  however,  to  consider  here 
transiently,  the  downward  vanish  of  the  semitone  ;  this  being  one 
of  the  constituents  of  the  chromatic  melody  of  speech,  now  to  be 
described. 

The  downward  radical  and  vanishing  semitone  may  be  exem- 
plified on  the  scale,  by  pasing  from  the  eighth  to  the  seventh  on 
the  word  fire,  as  one  sylablej  and  descending,  alternately  by  the 
subdivisions  fi  and  yer  to  the  second,  where  the  single  sylable  is 
again  to  be  used.  The  concrete  movement  on  the  single  sylable 
fire,  from  the  eighth  degree  to  the  seventh  has  a  plaintive  expres- 
ion ;  whereas  the  movement  on  the  same  sylable,  from  the  second 
to  the  first,  has  quite  a  diferent  character.     When  therefore  the 

republican  police.  After  the  Imperial  Roman  had  robed-out  every  Treasury, 
ever}-  Temple,  and  every  private  purse,  within  reach  of  his  qnarelsome  and 
ruthless  sword,  his  avaricious  courage  failed  ;  and  the  i3arbarian  came  back, 
and  down  upon  him  in  righteous  revenge.  We,  by  rapacious  Treaties,  and 
Civilized  Craft,  are  pursuing  and  exterminating  the  Native  Indian  from  his 
Land.  But  Hah  !  with  retributive  justice,  he  seems,  in  the  forced  submi.sion 
of  his  retreat,  to  have  tlirown  to  the  winds,  his  gros  and  unlawed  temper; 
which  now,  like  a  national  malaria,  is  spreading  an  avenging  savagism  among 
his  conquerors. 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  285 

voice  rises  on  the  single  sylable,  concretely  by  the  semitone,  at  the 
summit  of  the  scale,  and  imediately  in  continuation  descends  by  it, 
this  repetition  of  the  interval  must  prolong  the  plaintive  imprcsion. 
As  the  pathetic  state  which  dictiites  the  semitone  usualy  afects  a 
slow  time,  and  an  extension  of  sylabie  quantity,  the  expresion  is 
generaly  made  by  continuing  its  upward  into  its  downward  con- 
crete, in  the  form  of  a  Wave.  This  answers  two  important  pur- 
poses. It  denotes  more  impresively  the  state  of  mind,  by  a  repe- 
tition of  the  interval,  and  in  extending  the  equable  concrete  in  the 
line  of  contrary  flexure,  alows  a  prolongation  of  voice,  without  its 
liability  to  pass  into  the  protracted  radical  or  protracted  vanish  of 
song.  The  expresive  efect  of  this  doubled  semitone  may  be  ex- 
emplified on  the  word  fire,  as  a  single  sylable,  by  making  an  ime- 
diate  return  in  the  downw'ard  direction,  on  the  subtonic  r,  after 
ascending  from  the  seventh  to  the  eighth  of  the  scale  on  the  tonic 
i  of  that  word:  for  this  exactly  resembles  the  plaintive  uterance  of 
a  prolonged  sylabie  time  in  speech. 

The  states  of  mind  expresed  by  the  semitone,  are  sometimes  re- 
stricted to  individual  words ;  sometimes  they  extend  over  phrases 
and  sentences,  and  even  thruout  discourse.  These  last  ocasions, 
requiring  the  semitone  on  every  sylable,  necesarily  produce  a 
melody  consisting  of  a  continued  sucesion  of  that  interval.  We 
learned  in  the  eighth  section,  that  the  curent  of  the  Diatonic  mel- 
ody is  formed  by  sucesions  of  sylabie  pitch  on  the  interval  of  a 
whole  tone.  The  curent  movement  we  are  now  describing,  being 
by  the  sylabie  pitch  of  a  semitone,  may  be  caled  the  Semitonic  or, 
termed  in  music,  the  Chromatic  Melody.  Ijike  the  former,  it  is 
subdivided  into  the  curent  melody,  and  the  melody  of  the  cadence. 
Its  course  may  be  resolved  into  seven  Phrases,  similar  to  those  in 
the  diatonic  progres.  Yet  the  change  by  radical  pitch  in  the  chro- 
matic curent,  a.s  it  apears  to  me,  being  by  the  interval  of  a  tone, 
only  when  it  descends,  and  not  when  it  ascendsj  the  use  of  the 
nomenclature  must  be  pardoned,  when  I  denote  the  several  semi- 
tonic  phrases  by  the  terms  asigncd  to  those  of  the  diatonic  melody. 

There  is  in  the  Chromatic  Melody  of  speech,  as  in  the  Diatonic, 
neither  Key,  nor  Modulation.  A  similar  use  of  the  seven  phrases 
at  the  pimctuative  rest,  for  cf)ntinuing,  susp;;n<ling,  or  closing  the 
thot,  is  made  in  each  ;  imd  the  sania  rule  aplied  for  varying  the 


286  THE   CHROMATIC 

phrases  of  the  curent  melody.  The  expresion  of  the  chromatic, 
being  generaly  more  grave,  or  subdued  than  that  of  the  diatonic, 
the  former  more  frequently  afects  the  phrase  of  the  monotone. 

In  describing  the  diatonic  melody,  its  esential  movements  were 
subdivided  into  the  concrete,  and  the  radical  pitch.  The  same  dis- 
tinctions ocur  in  the  course  of  the  chromatic  melody.  Its  concrete 
pitch  is  always  the  interval  of  a  semitone.  Its  radical  pitch,  if  I 
have  not  ered  in  observation,  is  conducted  in  the  folowing  maner. 
When  the  curent  melody  descends,  the  radical  change  is  downward, 
over  the  space  of  a  whole  tone ;  in  ascending,  the  radical  change 
is  upward  over  the  space  of  a  semitone.  This  change  of  a  t6ne  in 
descending,  will  be  perceved  on  executing  the  downward  ditone  of 
a  chromatic  melody,  and  comparing  its  efect  with  that  of  the  first 
two  constituents  of  the  triad  of  the  diatonic  cadence :  for  if  the 
downward  radical  pitch  of  a  chromatic  melody  be  folowed  by  an- 
other downward  radical,  similar  to  the  first ;  or  in  other  words,  if 
we  attempt  to  make  a  downward  tritone  in  a  plaintive  intonation, 
the  triad  of  the  cadence  will  be  thereby  so  nearly  acomplished, 
that  it  requires  for  its  consumation,  only  the  faint  downward 
vanish  of  that  triad  on  its  last  constituent.  Now  the  radical  pitch 
of  the  triad  of  the  cadence  is  formed  of  the  sucessive  descent  of 
whole  tones. 

The  folowing  considerations  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  a  radical 
change  in  the  ujnoard  direction,  is  in  some  cases  made  by  tlie  step 
of  a  semitone.  By  intonating  the  scale  in  the  maner  directed  at 
the  begining  of  this  section,  it  will  be  perceved  that  after  rising 
thru  the  first  semitone,  on  fi,  the  next  sylable  yer  seems  to  begin 
at  the  top  of  that  preceding  concrete  ;  making  the  radical  change 
of  the  ascent  in  this  case  a  semitone ;  and  as  every  concrete  of  a 
chromatic  melody  is  a  semitone,  it  Avould  folow,  by  the  rule  of  the 
scale,  that  each  sucesive  sylable  of  a  chromatic  progrcsion,  Avhen 
the  radical  pitch  rises  only  one  degree,  must  be  at  the  distance  of 
a  semitone  above  the  preceding.  But  it  has  been  shown  that  the 
concrete  pitch  of  this  melody  is,  in  slow  uterance,  gcneraly  con- 
tinued into  the  returning  downward  vanish  of  the  semitone,  in  the 
form  of  a  wave ;  here  tlien,  the  above  cause  for  the  radical  change 
taking  the  interval  of  a  semitone  in  its  upward  progress  does  not 
perhaps,   a[)ly.     Whetiier   in    this   case  the   subsequent    upwaixl 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  287 

radiciil  change  is  by  the  semitone  or  the  tone,  I  am  not  prepared 
to  decide,  with  the  confidence  I  have  felt  in  the  result  of  other 
observations  re(H)rded  in  this  Work. 

In  general,  there  is  not  much  change  of  radical  pitch  in  this 
melody  ;  the  monotone  being  its  prevalent  phrase.  The  question 
is  however,  left  to  the  plain,  and  unargued  observation  of  others ; 
not  to  be  a  subject  for  useles  refinement  and  dispute ;  as  such,  it 
can  be  of  no  importance  in  the  Practical  Philosophy  of  Speech. 

It  was  said  in  a  previous  section,  that  the  diatonic  melody  admits 
ocasionaly  into  its  curent  tJie  third,  the  fifth,  and  the  octave.  It 
may  be  askedj  in  what  maner  these  intervals,  when  required  by  a 
chromatic  melody,  are  engrafted  upon  it.  They  have  a  place  in  it, 
for  the  purpose  both  of  plaintive  interogation  and  of  emphasis ; 
and  are  aplied  in  the  folowing  maner. 

Plaintivenes  being  the  characteristic  of  this  melodyj  when  an 
interogative  Avord  requires  the  rise  of  the  octave,  fifth,  or  third,  it 
Ls  conclusivej  the  expresion  both  of  the  semitone,  and  of  that  wider 
interval  should  be  conjoined.  By  a  direct  rise  of  the  interval, 
beyond  the  limit  of  the  semitone,  the  plaintive  expresion  would 
be  lost.  These  two  aparently  incompatible  efects  therefore  can  be 
united  on  one  sylable,  for  the  purpose  of  chromatic  interogation  or 
for  emphasisj  only  by  leading  the  voice  in  the  form  of  a  wave, 
thru  the  upward  into  the  downward  semitone  on  the  apointed 
sylable;  and  from  the  extremity  of  this  downward  vanish,  con- 
tinuing the  upward  concrete  of  the  octave,  fifth,  or  third,  as  the 
intended  interogation,  or  the  emphasis  may  require;  thus  forming 
what  we  caled  in  the  second  section,  a  double-unequal  wave. 
When  the  peculiar  keennes  ascribed  to  the  octave  is  recolected,  it 
must  at  once  be  suposedj  it  is  rarely  found  among  the  signs  of 
semitonic  interogation ;  the  less  im})resive  third  or  fifth  being 
comonly  used  for  this  purpose.  Perhaps  the  Reader  may  not  here 
require  an  ilustration  of  the  chromatic  melody,  by  the  staff.  The 
precision  I  have  endeavored  to  give  to  the  terms  of  this  subject 
will  it  is  hoped,  enable  him  to  comprehend  it  without  delineation, 
or  to  mark  the  tablature  for  himself.* 

*  I  here  give  pluce  to  the  licador  ;  for  surely,  hy  a  knowledije  of  our  miiner 
of  ilustration,  ho  ('an  easily  draw  tlie  apropriatc  symbols. 

It  is  the  great  rccomendation  of  a  System  of  Pjlucution,  derived  from  the 


288  THE   CHROMATIC 

The  cadence  of  a  chromatic  melody  is  made  by  a  peculiar  con- 
struction of  the  triad. 

The  Reader  on  experiment  will  find,  there  is  no  other  means 
for  reaching  the  full  and  satisfactory  paase  of  discourse,  on  three 
distinct  sylables,  than  that  of  the  diatonic  cadence,  formed  by  the 
radical  descent  of  three  whole  tones,  as  noted  in  the  first  and 
second  diagrams  of  the  cadence,  in  the  eighth  section.  Conse- 
quently the  chromatic  triad  must  be  made  by  a  similar  radical 
descent ;  for  a  downward  triad  of  three  semitones  would  make  no 
more  than  a  tone  and  a  half.  But  in  the  chromatic  mejody,  the 
concrete  pitch  or  vanish  of  these  radicals'^,  which  descend  by  three 
whole  tonesj  is  made  thru  the  space  of  a  semitone ;  and  the  plain- 
tive character  of  the  melody  is  thereby  comunicated  to  its  close. 

It  is  to  be  remarked  here,  that  a  sentence  requiring  the  chro- 
matic intonation,  may  sometimes  be  terminated  by  the  plain  dia- 
tonic triad,  whether  the  close  is  made  on  separate,  or  on  conjoined 
constituents;  and  further,  that  unimportant  words  and  short 
quantities  in  a  chromatic  sentence,  may  receve  a  radical  and 
vanishing  whole  tone,  without  destroying  the  plaintive  expresion ; 
provided  the  semitone  is  heard  on  all  acented,  and  long  quantities  : 
tho  more  comonly  the  short  and  unaeented  sylables  bear  tlie  rapid 
semitonic  concrete. 

The  forms  of  the  Diatonic  cadence,  which  may  be  ocasionaly 
aplied  to  a  chromatic  melody,  are  described  in  the  eighth  section. 
I  here  consider  the  cadence  that  bears  a  plaintive  expresion. 

pure  and  living  Fountain  of  investigated  Nature,  whence  everj'  clear  and 
useful  stream  of  knowledge  flows^  that  its  efective  ways  and  moans  may  be 
recorded,  and  its  available  benefit  difused  and  perpetuated.  But  it  is  worthy 
of  notice  on  this  subject,  as  on  most  others,  that  exactnes  of  science,  either 
from  the  confident  quietude  of  its  progres,  or  its  freedom  from  ill-tempered 
controversy,  has  always  been  the  least  sought,  if  not  the  last  desired,  where 
they  cannot  see  their  personal  interest  in  it,  by  the  mass  of  oven  the  so-culed 
wiser  part  of  mankind.  And  certainly,  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  in  re- 
garding all  the  Five  Modes  of  tho  voit-ej  that  Pitch,  with  its  exact  intervals 
of  vocal  Intonation,  ever  unalterable  in  nature,  and  tho  onl}'  one  pnuMsely 
describable  under  definite  forms  and  degrcosj  should  bo  that  particular  Mode, 
of  the  Five,  which  has  been,  and  still  is  declared  not  only  to  bo  unknown, 
but  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  future  discovery.  And  all  this,  because  some- 
body first  said  so ;  and  then  every  folowing  individual  of  tho  carles  and 
unthinking  Flock  said  so,  a/te?'  Aiw. 


MELODY   OF   SPEECH.  289 

Tlie  chromatic  cadence  may  Ik-  made  on  a  single  long  sylable; 
or  it  may  be  alottcd  to  two  sylables ;  or  the  space  of  its  descent 
may  be  divided  between  three. 

When  the  three  vocal  constitncnts  are  joined  scveraly  to  three 
separate  sylables,  the  close  is  made  by  taking  the  radicals,  at  the 
interval  of  a  M'hole  tone  sneesivcly  in  descent ;  and  by  giving  to 
each  of  tlie  lirst  two  constitncnts,  the  rising  vanish  of  a  semitone; 
and  to  the  last  the  feeble  downward  vanish  of  the  diatonic  close. 
This  is  exemplified  by  the  following  diagram;  where  the  vanish, 
and  the  upward  change  of  radical  [)itch  in  the  cnrent  melody,  are 
both  to  be  taken  as  a  semitone ;  and  the  dovmward  radical,  either  as 
a  whole  tone  or  a  semitone ;  for  I  leave  this  as  a  questionable  point. 


Pit — tv     the     sor 

-rows 

of       a       poor 

old 

man. 

4  4  4^ 

4 

4  4  «r 

^ 

•                           "     % 

It  is  true,  the  last  constituent  may  terminate  with  a  downward 
semitone ;  or  may  rise  thru  a  semitone,  and  then  in  continuation 
descend  concretely  below  the  pitch  of  its  radical ;  canying  the 
plaintive  expresion  on  the  unequal  direct  wave,  to  the  very  close. 
In  this  case  however,  the  perception  of  the  cadence  will  not  be 
so  complete  as  when  made  acording  to  the  above  notation. 

The  chromatic  triad  is  also  made,  by  continuing  the  rising 
semitone  into  a  wave,  and  carrying  its  downward  concrete  into  the 
full  body  of  the  succding  radical :  or  otherwise  by  the  downward 
concrete,  meeting  the  radical,  but  not  coalescing  with  it.  In 
the  latter  case  only,  can  the  radical  receve  an  abrupt  fulncs.  A 
cadence  is  therefore  more  complete,  with  the  radicals  thus  strongly 
marked;  as  in  the  following  diagram: 


When  the  phiintive  cadence  is  restricted  to  two  sylables,  they 
may  be  conected  in  like  raaner,  by  the  wave  of  the  semitone  on 
the  first  constituent  of  the  triad,  continued  downward  to  the  last; 


290  THE   CHROMATIC 

either  by  carying  the  downward  concrete  into  the  full  body  of  its 
radical,  or  by  its  only  meeting,  but  not  coalescing  with  it;  which 
case  is  here  ilustrated : 

A  poor  old  man. 


The  Reader  can  draw  for  himself,  two  diagrams,  in  other  re- 
spects similar  to  the  above,  but  with  the  downward  liiie  enlarging 
into  the  radicals,  as  it  joins  them,  for  the  coalescing  form :  in 
which  case  there  will  be  a  sweling  fulnes  of  voice,  at  the  place  of 
the  radicals,  without  a  break  in  the  line. 

There  may  be  a  chromatic  descent  on  a  single  long  sylable. 
This  should  never  be  used  in  corect  speech,  except  for  some 
special  design  of  expresion,  unconected  with  the  cadence.  To  dis- 
tinguish it,  as  a  chromatic  close,  from  the  feeble  diatonic  cadence, 
it  is  necesary,  by  the  previous  rise  of  a  semitone,  to  give  it  a  plain- 
tive character.  The  continuation  of  this  rising  semitone  into  a 
downward  terminative  concrete  forming  an  unequal  direct  wave, 
may  have  the  efect  of  a  close ;  but  it  has  at  the  same  time,  a 
whining  intonation,  altogether  foreign  to  the  desirable  and  apro- 
priate  character  of  the  chromatic  cadence. 

There  is  still  another  form  of  the  Chromatic  close,  resembling 
the  skipping,  or  false  cadence  of  the  diatonic  melody.  It  consists 
of  a  concrete  semitone  on  the  antepenult  sylable,  and  an  imediate 
discrete  descent  by  the  radical  pitch  to  the  final  constituent  of  the 
triad ;  omiting  the  second  altogether.  We  do  not  need  a  diagram 
of  this  form ;  it  is  shown  by  the  above  example  of  notation,  sup- 
osing  it  to  be  without  the  descending  concrete,  which  there  meets 
the  final  constituent.  It  is  rarely  used  as  a  close;  and  only  when 
a  peculiar  emphasis^  may  be  recpiired  on  the  hist  word  of  the 
sentence. 

As  the  diatonic  cadence,  so  the  chromatic,  has  dificrcnt  degrees 
of  repose  ;  and  these  depend  on  its  construction.  That  entire 
consumation,  required  at  the  period  of  discoui*sc,  is  efectcd  by 
the  triad  form  in  the  first  of  the  above  notations.  Tiie  second 
which  is  still  a  triad,  with  its  three  constituents  meeting,  but  not 


MELODY    OF   SPEECH.  291 

coalescing  by  the  downward  vanisli,  has  as  strongly  marked  a  char- 
acter as  the  first.  The  coalescing  form  denotes  less  repose ;  there 
heing  no  abrupt  fulnes  of  the  radical,  the  cadence  will  be  less  im- 
j)resivc,  for  it  is  this  conspicuous  display  of  a  descent  by  radical 
pitch  wliich  produces  the  remarkable  efect  of  a  vocal  period.  The 
third  construction  represented  above,  is  the  feeble  form  of  the 
chromatic  cadence ;  for  being  upon  only  two  sylables,  it  has  not 
the  full  efect  of  the  downward  change  of  radical  pitch  when  made 
on  three ;  and  therefore  falls  short  of  the  expresion  required  for 
a  satisfactory  close. 


In  concluding  this  history  of  the  five  rising  concrete  and  discrete 
intervals,  and  of  their  uses  in  elocution,  I  have  only  to  add  that 
the  Fourth,  Sixth,  and  Seventh  may  be  employed  for  interogative, 
and  emphatic  expresion,  respectively  similar  to  that  of  the  third, 
fifth,  and  octave.  But  the  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  severaly  adja- 
cent to  those  other  intervals,  are  by  some  constitution  of  the  ear, 
more  easily  recognized  as  definite  points,  on  the  instrumental  scale, 
and  in  the  discrete  movements  of  the  human  voice.  On  this 
acount  the  enumeration  in  the  ])receding  sections  has  been  limited 
to  the  semitone,  second,  third,  fifth,  and  octave  of  the  diatonic 
scale.  I  have  not  particularly  inquired  into  the  chai'acter  of  the 
remaining  fourth,  sixth,  and  seventh;  nor  of  any  fractional  ex-* 
tensions  of  the  concrete  of  the  other  five ;  belevingj  they  only 
cxpres  unimportant  variations  in  degree,  of  the  states  of  mind 
conveyed  by  those  we  have  particularly  described. 

In  all  the  foregoing  descriptions  of  the  forms  and  efects  of 
the  various  concretes,  they  have  been  represented  as  bounded  by 
fixed  degrees  of  the  scale.  Yet  it  ha.s  just  been  said,  that  besides 
the  second,  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  other  intermediate  variations 
of  these  intervals  may  be  used,  as  vocal  synonyms  in  speech. 
This  leads  to  an  inquiry^  how  far  any  definitely  marked  extent 
should  be  asigned  to  the  several  intervals.  It  is  therefore  necosary 
to  be  more  particular  on  this  point;  and  to  answer  my  own  ques- 
tionj  whether  the  atenuated  close  of  the  vanish  does  im])res  the 
car  with  the  exact  place  of  a  musical  interval  on  the  scale.     I 


292  THE   CHROMATIC 

might  scarcely  have  noticed  this  subject,  had  not  the  possibility  of 
measuring,  at  all,  the  intonations  of  speech,  been  almost  univer- 
sally denied ;  and  had  I  not  thot  this  old  prejudice,  even  after 
what  has  been  shown,  might  when  driven  to  its  corner,  make  a 
desperate  defense,  by  some  unecesary  refinement  on  this  very  ques- 
tion. I  do  not  say,  the  stops,  as  they  may  be  caled,  of  the  vanish, 
if  even  suficiently  exact  for  all  practical  purposes,  as  I  beleve 
them  to  bej  are  so  strongly  impresed  on  the  ear,  as  those  marked 
with  a  precise  note,  either  by  song  or  on  instrument*.  And  altho 
a  want  of  measured  acuracy  in  the  equable  concrete,  may  not  be 
as  readily  perceved,  as  in  these  two  cases,  still,  great  exactnes  on 
this  point,  is  not  required  in  speech.  In  music,  with  its  precise 
notes  of  the  discrete  scale,  false  intonation  is  imediately  obvious, 
even  in  the  sucesions  of  melody ;  and  in  the  coexistent  notes  of 
harmony,  the  efect  is  still  more  remarkable.  But  speech  is  a  solo, 
as  well  as  a  concrete  performance,  and  therefore,  any  slight  want 
of  acuracy  at  the  point  of  the  vanish,  even  if  perceptible,  is  never- 
theles,  under  my  observation,  of  very  little  consequence.  If  our 
States  of  mind  were  marked  in  degree,  by  nice  and  palpable  dis- 
tinctions, it  would  be  proper  to  expres  them,  by  like  gradations  in 
the  voice.  Still,  as  in  the  gramatical  variation  of  adjectives,  the 
three  degrees  suficiently  distinguish,  for  comon  ocasions,  the  count- 
ies shades  of  comparison^  so  with  the  interogative  intervals,  a  dif- 
erence  of  third,  fifth  and  octave,  is  suficient  for  present  practical 
-use  of  their  vocal  expresion. 

The  Second  it  has  been  shown,  has  what  we  call  a  plain  diatonic 
character,  apropriate  to  narative,  or  unimpasioned  discourse.  It 
may  then  be  asked,  whether  a  want  of  precision,  in  marking  the 
interval  would  destroy  that  character.  By  my  observation,  it 
would  not ;  provided  the  variation  is  slight,  and  not  diminished 
one  half,  down  to  a  semitone,  nor  extended  half  a  tone,  up  to  a 
minor  third ;  the  former  producing  a  plaintive  expression,  and  the 
latter,  as  a  fault,  being  inadmisible  into  speech.  Should  the  voice, 
in  executing  this  and  various  other  intervals,  even  exeede,  or  fall 
short  of  the  exact  points  of  the  scale,  by  any  minut«  degree,  let 
others  more  fastidious,  decide  the  question  of  its  impropriety.  To 
my  ear  however,  for  all  the  precision  re(piired  by  this  case,  there 
is  in  the  educated  voice,  no  deviating  intonation  at  the  close  of  the 


MELODY   OF  SPEECH.  293 

vanish,  tliat  would  ever  mar,  when  till  else  is  right,  the  purpose  of 
a  corec't  and  elegant  ehKUition. 

And  here  we  luay  observe,  that  the  Enharmonic  quarter-tone 
of  six  parts,  the  semitone  being  twelve;  as  proportionaly  aranged 
in  the  Greek  scale,  described  in  our  first  sectionj  can  liave  no  j)lace, 
or  if  place,  no  efect,  in  corect  or  natural  speech.  I  do  not  how- 
ever, say,  that  in  the  random  eforts  of  the  voice,  sonie  concrete  or 
discrete  interval,  upward  or  downward  and  difering  by  a  quarter- 
tone  or  any  other  fraction,  greater  or  less,  from  those  we  have  asigned 
to  speech,  may  not;  in  the  iregularities,  and  sometimes  even  in  the 
intended  proprieties  of  utcrance,  be  employed :  but  we  must  now 
perceve  enough  of  the  great  circle  of  speech,  to  satisfy  us,  that  for 
a  practical,  and  «7imetaphysical  system  of  the  voice,  these  trans- 
cendental degrees  of  intonation,  for  any  of  our  intents,  do  not 
deserve  a  further  notice. 

Admiting  absolute  precision  of  interval  to  be  a  matter  of  im- 
portance, the  comand  over  it  might  be  easily  acquired ;  for  the 
vanish  cannot  be  atenuated  beyond  the  ability  of  the  ear  to  measure 
it.  The  place  in  pitch,  of  a  prolonged  note  of  song,  with  what  is 
caled  a  diminuendo,  is  still  conizable,  as  long  as  it  is  heard  ;  and 
to  a  studious  observer  it  is  equaly  so  in  the  vanish,  or  diminuendo 
of  a  concrete  interval  of  speech ;  tho  the  state  of  mind  is  con- 
veyed more  forcibly  by  the  louder  voice.  How  far  tliis  acuracy 
of  intonation  may  be  required  in  speech,  when  we  shall  have 
aranged  the  present  chaos  of  the  Human  Intclect,  into  some  efica- 
cious  system  of  exact  perception,  with  no  dishonest  purpose,  must 
be  determined  by  time.  From  the  past,  present,  and  prospective 
disorderly  state  of  our  thots  and  pasions,  I  have,  in  this  esay, 
probably  asigned  more  definite  degrees,  and  forms  of  intonation, 
either  true  or  false,  than  will  ever  be  required  by  the  greater  part 
of  orat'^trical  mankind. 

If  this  trifling  mater  is  rcaly  indeterminable,  let  it  be  excluded, 
with  all  like  refinements,  from  what  should  be  a  Practical,  not  a 
Contentious  system  of  elocution.  Tliose  wlio  have  so  dogmat- 
icaly  aserted  the  imposibility  of  measuring,  what  they  call  the 
*  tones  of  the  voice,'  could  not  have  refered  merely  to  the  point  of 
exactness  here  under  consideration.  For  had  the  renowned  Adam 
Smith j  who,  as  one  of  the  number,  may  fairly  represent  themj 


294  THE   CHROMATIC   MELODY   OF   SPEECH. 

only  caried  his  sagacious  powers  of  inquiry  into  the  subject  of  the 
human  voice,  he  would  have  clearly  observed,  that  with  so  many 
satisfying  proprieties  and  beauties,  in  the  natural  system  of  speech, 
the  determination  of  this  question  is  of  little,  if  any  importance 
in  the  extended  views  of  an  efective  elocution.* 

*  I  regret  to  have  been  obliged  to  notice  in  this  place,  what  our  system  re- 
gards as  a  fatal  eror  in  the  writings  of  this  able  and  elegant  Observer:  and 
altho  difering  widely  from  him  on  the  subject  before  us,  I  am  hapy  to  pay  the 
due  respect  to  his  character  as  a  Philosopher,  in  pausing  for  a  moment,  to  find 
a  suficient  cause,  if  not  an  apology,  for  his  eror,  by  in^uiringj  why,  with  his 
eminent  powers  of  analysis  and  of  arangement,  he  did  not  closely  aply  them, 
to  the  investigation  of  Speech,  when  he  had  once  thot  it  worthy  of  his  gen- 
eral reflections.  Adam  Smith,  with  his  means  for  wide  survey,  and  for  ilu- 
ininating  definition  and  division,  and  when  triumphantly  aplying  them,  to 
gather  into  a  regular  system  of  Political  Economy,  those  scatered  facts  and 
principles,  on  the  wealth  of  nations^  which  many  a  statesman  must  have  thOt, 
as  ireducible  to  order,  as  the  suposcd  imeasurable  and  indefinable  constit- 
uents of  the  speaking  voices  has,  after  a  purposed  inquiry,  left  us,  what  I 
unwilingly  record  of  himj  his  undisguised  belief  in  the  deep  or  endles  con- 
cealment of  the  forms  of  Intonation. 

In  the  short  and  last  paragraph  of  his  '  Reflections  on  the  Imitative  Arts,' 
he  saysj  'As  the  sounds  or  tones  of  the  singing  voice  can  be  ascertained  or 
apropriated;?  [that  is,  put  to  proper  use^)  while  those  of  the  /tpeaking  voice  can- 
not ;  the  former  are  capable  of  being  noted  or  recorded^  {that  is,  of  being  rep- 
resented hy  symbols,  or  described  by  wordsi)  while  the  latter  can-not.'  I  do  not 
here,  by  verbal  controversy,  meet  the  eror  of  his  belief;  having  thruout  this 
volume,  furnished  the  argument,  in  its  substantial  facts.  But  as  he  might 
himself  probably  have  anticipated  our  record  of  those  facts,  had  he  trusted 
to  his  own  resources^  I  shall  endeavor  to  show,  that  by  folowing-uphis  method 
of  inquiry  and  explanation,  why  he  did  not. 

To  prepare  for  the  above  final  declaration  that  the  '  tones '  of  the  speaking 
voice  cannot  be  ascertained,  ho  begins  with  remarkingj  'A  person  may  sing 
afectedly,  by  endeavoring  to  please  by  sounds  and  tones  which  are  unsuitable 
to  the  nature  of  the  song  :'  and  again,  '  The  disagreeable  afectation  [iti  song) 
apears  to  consist  always,  in  atempting  to  please,  not  by  a  proper,  but  by  an 
improper  modulation  of  the  voice.'  Here  is  a  plain  statement  of  the  cause  of 
the  impropriety  of  afectation  ;  it  is  unsuitable  to  the  'nature'  or  purpose  'of 
the  song:'  and  it  aplies  equaly  to  all  intonation;  but  Mr.  Smith,  unfortu- 
nately sloping  short  in  the  just  course  of  his  investigation,  refers  it  exclusively 
to  that  of  song.  lie  then  procedcs  to  state,  hoio  wo  know  the  disagreeable  and 
afected  '  sounds  or  tones  '  of  song  to  be  improper. 

It  having  been,  as  ho  remarks,  early  ascertainedj  I  report  his  rncnning)  that 
strings  or  chords  of  diferent  lengths,  or  tensions,  do  in  their  respective  vibra- 
tions, bear  a  mensurable  proportion  to  each  otlier:  the  several  sounds  or  notes 
of  these  vibrating  chords,  and  the  intervals  between  them,  become  measur- 


DOWNWARD   RADICAL   AND   VANLSHING   MOVEMENT.      295 

SECTION  XX. 

Oj  the  Dowmvard  Radical  and  Vanishing  Movement. 

The  functions  of  pitch  hitherto  described,  are  performed  princi- 
pally by  a  rising  progres  of  the  concrete,  and  of  the  radical  change. 

In  an  early  page  of  this  esay  we  learned,  that  the  voice  takes  a 
reverse  direction ;  that  the  radical  movement,  opening  with  fulnes 

able,  and  by  terms,  asigniiblc  for  all  their  proper  purposes.  With  this  precise 
discrimination,  and  a  coresponding  nomenclature,  it  was  easy  to  com])are  the 
relations  of  chordal,  or  instrumental  sounds,  with  those  of  the  singing  voice, 
to  name  them,  and  to  describe  those  suitable  or  not,  to  their  purposcj  and 
therefore  proper  or  improper  in  song. 

So  far,  the  course  of  the  explanation  is  in  Mr.  Smith's  usualy  strict  and 
elementary  maner,  clear  and  instructive;  and  had  he  continued  in  this  path 
of  observation  and  experiment,  it  would  have  led,  by  a  similar  proces,  to  a 
recognition  of  the  intervals  of  Speech^  and  then,  easily  to  their  full  develop- 
ment. From  that  path  however,  as  all  others  had  done,  he  turned  aside ; 
droped  the  directive  wand  of  analogy  ;  and  instead  of  likening  the  intervals 
of  speech  to  those  of  song,  and  then  ascertaining  the  truth  by  experiment; 
just  as  the  intervals  of  song  had  at  first  been  thought,  and  then  proved  to  be 
like  those  of  measurable  chordsj  he  on  the  contrary,  endeavored  to  showj 
there  is  no  perceptible  similarity  between  the  intervals  of  speech  and  of  song  ; 
having  aparently  been  misled,  in  this  way.  At  the  moment  he  turned  from 
the  path  of  analogy  and  proof,  the  self-dependent  habit  of  his  mind  deserted 
him,  to  conform  with  a  traditional  authority  ;  and  he  was  told  by  all  around 
him  j  First :  That  the  '  sounds  or  tones  '  of  the  singing  voice  are  more  numer- 
ous, more  distinct,  and  of  greater  extent  than  those  of  speech  ;  which  as 
a  groping  notion,  crosing  the  onward  track  of  truth,  confused,  at  the  start 
the  scent  of  inquiry.  And  Second  :  That  while  the  former  can  be  measured 
by  the  constant  proportions  of  musical  chordsj  the  latter  can-not;  which 
authority,  put  the  chase  so  entirely  at  fault,  as  to  end  all  hopes  of  the  pur- 
suit. These  opinions  having  been  adopted  by  Mr.  Smith,  it  necesarily  never 
occured  to  him  to  endeavor  to  form  a  sort  of  experimental  and  comjjaralive 
equation  between  the  measurable  intervals  of  sung,  and  the  unknown  and 
rcquired.intervals  of  speechj  asserted  universaly,  and  belcved  by  iiimself,  to 
be  imperceptible.  This  by  his  own,  and  by  general  belief  jusliliably  closed 
the  investigation;  and  here  Mr.  Smith  left  it:  having  sougiit,  as  it  would 
seem,  only  some  asignable  interval,  however  n\inute,  between  the  indelinitely 
small  increments  of  the  fluxionary  concrete  of  speechj  an  inquiry  of  no  prac- 
tical importance^  instead  of  comparing,  the  obvious  interval  between  the 
begining  and  the  end  of  that  concrete,  and  i\ic  discrete  intervals  between  these 


296  THE  DOWNWARD   RADICAL 

at  a  given  place  on  the  scale,  descends  thru  its  destined  interval, 
with  the  same  equable  concrete  structure  and  diminishing  force 
which  characterize  the  upward  vanish.  We  must  now  consider 
the  varieties  of  form  in  the  downward  concrete,  the  ocasions  of  its 
use,  and  the  character  of  its  expresion. 

The  downward  progres  of  the  voice  is  made  in  all  the  intervals 
of  the  scale.  In  like  maner  with  the  rise,  the  descent  is  both  by 
a  concrete  movement,  and  by  a  discrete  change  or  skip  of  radical 
pitch.  The  characteristic  efect  of  the  descent,  either  concretely, 
or  by  discrete  skipj  the  several  intervals,  may  be  learned  by  the 
folowing  experiments. 

Let  the  Reader  express  himself  with  astonishment,  on  the  ex- 
clamatory phrase,  loell  done;  asuming  the  first  word  at  a  high 
pitchj  bringing  down  the  last  concretely  from  that  hight,  on  its 
prolonged  quantityj  and  utering  the  phrase  as  if  it  were  the  close 
of  a  sentence.  Should  the  intonation  on  the  word  done,  be  meas- 
ured by  the  scale,  it  will  in  his  yet  unskilful  atempt,  exemplify 
the  downward  concrete  Octave,  or  near  it.  Again,  let  the  inter- 
jection, heigh-ho,  be  made  with  a  degree  of  emphasis  that  may 
throw  these  two  sylables  on  the  extremes  of  the  compas  of  the 
natural  voice.  The  transition  from  the  elevated  pitch  of  h^igh, 
to  the  inferior  place  of  ho,  will  be  by  a  discrete  or  skiping  descent. 
This  transition,  when  measured  by  the  scale,  ilustrates  the  down- 
ward Discrete  or  radical  pitch  of  the  octave,  or  near  it. 

The  Downward  Fifth  may  in  like  maner  be  distinguished,  both 
in  its  concrete  pitch  and  its  discrete  radical  change,  by  respectively 

two  extremes,  with  the  concrete  interval  of  song,  and  the  discrete,  of  the 
musical  scale ;  for  a  knowledge  of  their  identity  would  have  opened  a  view 
of  causes  and  effects,  thruout  the  then  deep  mystery  of  Speech.  Mr.  Smith's 
adopted  authority  prevented  his  making  this  simple  comparison  and  conclu- 
sion ;  and  he  unfortunately,  and  most  unlike  himself,  left  the  subject  where 
he  found  it.  If  instead  of  being  satisfied  with  the  argumentative  diference 
between  those  two  cases,  ho  had  only  droped  his  '  reasoning'  and  raised  the 
Baconian  Kite  of  experiment,  his  verbal  conformity  witii  the  learned  rotine 
of  tlie  schools,  would  on  the  first  flash  of  observation  have  been  surprised,  and 
his  candid  discernment  philosopliicaly  delighted,  bj-  the  discovered  identity 
of  so  many  of  the  measurable  constituents  of  music  and  of  Speech. 

Let  any  one  who  is  confirmed  in  the  creed  of  this  volume,  read  the  article 
here  quoted,  and  ho  will  be  struck  by  the  cror  and  the  evil  of  an  individual 
who  can  observe  and  think,  relying  implicitly  on  a  world  of  those  who  do  not. 


AND    VANISHING    MOVEMENT.  297 

aplyinoj  them  to  tlie  words  of  the  2)roceding  examples]  but  witli 
less  emphatic  force,  and  with  a  less  striking  intonation. 

The  concrete  Descent  of  the  Third  may  be  heard,  by  pronouncing 
tlie  word  Xo,  as  the  last  word  of  a  sentence ;  observing  to  give  it 
some  length,  and  to  exclude  every  expresion,  except  the  simple 
indicj\tion  of  the  cadence.  The  downwai'd  Radical  pitch  or  skip 
of  the  third,  may  be  exemplified  by  pronouncing  the  phrase  made 
an  attack,  as  a  full  close ;  giving  the  sylables,  made  an  at,  in  the 
monotone,  and  making  the  satisfactory  close  on  tack.  For,  the 
sylable,  at,  being  the  first  constituent  of  the  triad;  and  by  its  short 
quantity,  incapable  of  completing  the  cadence  by  a  descent  of  the 
slow  concrete,  the  voice  of  necessity  leaps  over  the  place  of  the 
second  constituent,  and  closes  on  tack,  in  the  proper  point  of  the 
third. 

The  effect  of  the  Downward  concrete  Second  or  tone  may  be 
heard  on  the  last  constituent  of  the  diatonic  triad ;  and  the  radical 
change  of  the  second,  in  the  descent  of  the  constituents  of  the 
same  cadencej  for  its  radicals  succede  each  other  by  the  downward 
diference  of  a  tone. 

The  downward  concrete  of  the  Semitone  was  described  in  the 
last  section,  as  plaintively  obvious  in  the  vocal  transition  from  the 
eighth  to  the  seventh  place  of  the  scale.  If  the  downward  change 
of  Radical  pitch,  in  a  chix)matic  melody,  is  like  that  of  its  cadencej 
which  however,  in  the  last  section,  was  stated  as  doubtfulj  it  folows 
that  we  have  no  instance  in  curcnt  speech,  of  the  disd'ete  downward 
semitone.     But  we  leave  this  for  future  observers. 

If  the  Reader  is  by  this  time,  expert  in  ascending  both  concretely 
and  discretely,  every  interval  of  the  scale,  he  may,  after  ascending, 
imodiately  return  by  the  same  interval,  with  the  impresion  of  its 
extent  upon  his  ear ;  and  by  practice  on  all  the  intervals,  in  this 
way  become  familiar  with  the  difcrent  degrees  and  characters  of 
the  downward  movement,  both  in  its  concrete  and  discrete  forms. 

We  have  (xjnsidcred  the  downward  movement  on  long  quanti- 
ties ;  and  altho  like  the  rising  progre",  it  may  be  rapidly  performed 
on  imutablc  sylables  ;  yet  when  the  exj)resi()n  of  a  downward  in- 
terval is  requircxl  on  them,  the  transition  as  with  the  upward,  is 
generaly  made  by  the  change  of  radical  pitcli. 

The  cxprcsive  powers  of  the  downward  radical  and  vanish  will 
20 


298     DowjsrwARD  badical  axd  vanishing  movejiext. 

be  asigned,  in  a  future  consideration  of  the  particular  intervals  of 
the  scale.  As  a  general  remark  on  its  character^  it  may  be  said, 
in  contrast  to  the  interogative  efect  of  the  rising  Third,  Fifth, 
and  Octave,  that  the  downward  progres  thru  these  intervals,  both 
concretely  and  by  radical  pitch,  denotes  positive  afirmation ;  di- 
rectly the  reverse  of  doubt,  implied  in  a  question.  Some  other 
inquirer  may  hereafter,  more  acurately  refer  this  expresion  of  the 
downward  concrete,  to  a  general  claas  of  phenomena  in  vocal  science ; 
and  satisfy  the  demands  of  philosophy.  I  cannot  however,  with- 
hold the  question j  yet  wishing  to  be  cautious  with  mere  analogical 
inferencej  whether  the  positivenes  may  arise  from  its  conjoining 
with  an  emphatic  import,  a  certain  degree  of  the  decisive  char- 
acter of  the  cadence ;  for  this  seems  to  preclude  the  expectation  of 
further  doubt  or  reply,  by  a  satisfactory  repose  of  the  ultimate  in- 
tonation on  a  finished  meaning  or  thot.  In  suport  of  this,  let  us 
bring  to  mind,  that  the  replications  of  doubtful  argument,  from  a 
submissive  courtesy  between  sj^eakers,  are  not  so  often  marked  by 
complete  cadences  as  the  decisive  character  in  many  of  the  phrases 
would  otherwise  bear.  Yet  we  know,  that  when  asertions  become 
authoritative  from  truth,  or  dogmatic  from  opinion,  the  closing 
descent  of  the  cadence  is  freely  employed  as  the  definite  seal  of 
self-confident  affirmation. 

After  all  however,  Truth,  the  strict  monitor  of  science,  reproves 
us  for  our  conjectures,  and  alows  us  here,  only  to  set-forth  this 
new  instance  of  consistency  in  the  ordinations  of  nature :  for  Jis 
the  mental  state  of  inquiry  is  contrary  to  that  of  asurcd  declara- 
tionj  so  in  the  instinct  of  the  voice  expresing  these  oposite  states, 
the  very  oposite  courses  of  rise,  and  of  fall,  are  employed  as  their 
respective  intonations. 

The  downward  movement,  both  in  its  concrete,  and  its  discrete 
form,  when  used  for  emphasis,  will  be  particularly  dcscribetl  in  a 
future  section.  It  is  perhaps  as  impresive  on  the  ear,  as  the 
upward  movement  in  its  usual  forms,  but  not  in  its  piercing  de- 
gree. Amazement,  wonder,  surprise,  and  admiration,  when  not 
conjoined  with  an  interogative  meaning,  gencraly  asumc  this  form 
of  expresion ;  the  extent  of  the  interval  being  proportional  to  their 
respective  degrees  of  energy.  The  downward  movement  diforing 
from  the  upward,  only  by  its  taking  a  diferent  direction,  we  may 


THE   DOWNWARD   OCTAVE.  299 

look  for  a  like  characteristic  construction  in  each.  The  same 
explosive  fulncs  should  distinguish  the  radical ;  the  same  equable 
movement,  its  descent ;  and  the  same  delicate  diminution,  its  final 
vanish  into  silence. 

After  these  general  remarks  on  the  subject,  we  procede  to  the 
history  of  the  particular  intervals  of  the  downward  concrete. 


SECTION   XXI. 

Of  the  Interval  of  the  Downward  Octave, 

The  concrete  Downward  Octave,  in  adition  to  the  expresion, 
ascribed  generaly  to  tlie  downward  movement,  conveys  in  the 
coloquial  uses  of  the  voice,  the  vivacity  of  facetious  surprise,  as 
in  the  instance  of  the  phrase  well  done,  given  above.  It  is  a  sign 
of  the  pasionative  state  of  mindj  and  in  the  above  example,  is  the 
very  picture  of  amazement,  and  so  to  speak,  raises  the  brow  and 
opens  the  eye  of  the  voice.  In  its  more  dignified  uses,  there  is 
the  highest  degree  of  admiration,  astonishment,  and  comand,  either 
alone  or  united  with  other  mental  states.  The  astonishment  and 
positivencs  expresed  by  this  interval,  may  coexist  with  the  com- 
placency of  mirth,  with  the  repugnance  of  fear,  contempt,  hatred, 
and  with  almost  any  state  of  mind  not  incompatible  with  that  of 
astonishment,  and  comand.  For  tho  these  states  have  other  signs 
in  expresion,  yet  when  they  go  with  this  high  degree  of  astonish- 
ment, the  downward  octave  is  the  true  and  only  sign  of  the 
combination. 

In  the  following  lines,  from  Milton's  fifth  book,  the  emphatic 
sylable  of  the  word,  enormous,  may  rcceve  the  downward  Octave, 
as  the  sign  of  admiration,  or  of  astonishment,  just  as  the  Reader 
may  choose  to  regard  it. 

For  Nature  hero 
Wanton'd  as  in  her  prime,  and  play'd  at  will 
Her  virgin  fancies,  pouring  forth  more  sweet, 
Wild  above  rule  or  art;  enormous  blis. 


300  THE   DOWNWAED   OCTAVE. 

As  the  same  interval  represents  diferent  mental  conditions,  It 
may  be  inquired^  what  modification  of  its  structure  may  be  neces- 
avy.  It  was  shown  in  the  second  section,  that  the  concrete  move- 
ment, in  its  upward,  and  in  its  downward  direction,  bears  with 
distinguishable  audibility,  aditional  force  or  stres  on  the  begining, 
the  raidle,  or  the  end  of  its  progres  thru  a  prolonged  quantity. 
The  aplication  of  a  diferent  stres  to  the  downward  octave,  vari- 
ously modifies  its  character.  On  the  radical,  it  denotes  a  high 
degree  of  mirthful  wonder.  On  the  midle  of  its  course,  by  a 
swell  at  that  place,  the  wonder  becomes  more  serious  and  even 
repulsive.  On  the  lower  extreme,  reversing  thus  the  natural 
structure  of  the  radical  and  vanish,  it  increases  the  degree  of  the 
repulsion,  and  mingles  with  it  some  slight  expresion  of  anger  and 
of  scorn.  This  characteristic  asigned  to  the  octave,  might  at  once 
asure  us  that  it  is  of  rare  ocurence.  It  may  be  found  occasionally 
in  the  intensity  of  coloquial  excitement,  and  in  the  fervor  of  the 
drama:  but  rarely  perhaps,  in  the  course  of  narative  or  plain 
description ;  tlie  strained  energy  of  its  expresion  scarcely  finding 
a  place  in  melody,  if  not  acompanied  by  wider  downward  inter- 
vals, or  wider  waves.  The  preceding  example  of  the  Octave  if 
there  aplicable,  may  however,  be  taken  as  an  exception. 

For  an  i  lustration  of  the  downward  Radical  Pitch  of  the 
octave ;  there  is,  in  the  first  diagram  of  the  fourteenth  section,  a 
notation  of  the  fall  of  the  voice,  an  octave  from  the  uper  curent 
of  melodyj  suposed  to  be  on  imutable  sylablcsj  to  an  indefinite 
quantity,  for  the  purpose  of  rising  again  by  a  concrete  octave. 
This  downward  radical  pitch  lias  the  same  expresion  as  the  down- 
ward concrete  octave ;  and  is  employed  in  skiping  from  Imutable 
sylables,  in  phrases  of  emphatic  astonishment,  admiration,  and 
comand. 


THE   DO^\^V^VARD   FIFTH.  301 

SECTIOX   XXII. 

Of  the  Interval  of  the  Downward  Fifth. 

The  last  described  interval  variously  denotes  a  quaint  familiarity 
and  an  emj)hatic  force  of  wonder  or  comand.  The  Downward 
concrete  Fifth  has  in  many  respects  a  similar  expresion ;  but  it 
clotlies  its  agreeable  surprise,  admiration,  and  authority,  with 
greater  dignity  than  the  octave.  This  interval  is  often  used  on 
imperative  phrases.  Its  concrete,  like  that  of  the  octave,  may  be 
modified  in  meaning,  by  diferent  aplications  of  stres. 

In  the  folowing  pasages  from  IMilton's  fifth  book,  the  words, 
own,  himself,  all,  fairest,  and  three,  severaly  marked,  may  for  their 
emphatic  distinction,  receve  the  downward  fifth. 

Mean  while  our  primitive  great  sire,  to  meet 
His  God-like  guest,  walks  forth,  without  more  traia 
Acompanied  than  with  his  own  complete 
Perfections:  in  himself  was  all  his  state. 


But  Eve 
Undeck'd  save  with  herself,  more  lovely  fair 
Than  Wood-Nymph,  or  the  fairest  Godess  feign'd 
Of  three  that  in  mount  Ida  naked  strove. 

When  the  Queen  says  to  Hamletj 

If  it  be,  [that  is,  if  death  be  the  common  lot] 
Why  seems  it  so  particular  with  thee  ? 

Hamlet  returnsj 

Seems,  Madam,  nay  it  is!     I  know  not  seems. 

The  word  is,  here  represents  the  earnest  surprise  of  the  Prince, 
at  the  misconception  of  his  real  condition.  And  his  solemn  state 
of  mind,  which  rejects,  with  indignation,  the  profanity  of  the 
suposition,  of  any  formal  show  in  the  deep  reality  of  liis  grief, 


302  THE   DOWNWARD   FIFTH. 

cannot  be  expresed  by  the  simple  radical  and  vanish.  There  is  a 
light  surprise  in  this  form  of  the  concrete,  unsuitable  to  the  gravity 
of  his  reverentive  state.  If  the  voice  is  sweled  to  a  greater  stres 
as  it  descends,  the  severe  and  dignified  conviction  of  the  speaker 
becomes  at  once  remarkable.  The  intonation  of  this  -line  ^vithout, 
however,  representing  the  sweling  stres  on  the  falling  fifthj  may 
be  thus  delineated : 

Seems,     Ma dam,         nay  it  is!      I     know  not  seems. 


i 


tLJCUL 


Here  a  rising  third,  or  the  most  moderate  form  of  interogative 
expresion,  is  set  to  the  first  word :  for  it  includes  a  slight  degi'ee 
of  surprised  inquiry.  The  suceding  clause,  containing  a  positive 
afirmation,  has  the  downward  fifth  on  is  ;  and  the  whole  diagram 
is  calculated  to  show  the  oposite  powers  of  expresion  in  the  rising, 
and  the  faling  intervals.  In  a  future  section,  it  will  be  sho%vn 
why  the  radical  of  this  emphatic  downward  movement  is  set,  as 
here  represented,  so  far  above  the  line  of  the  curent  melody. 

The  Discrete  transition  of  the  faling  fifth  has  the  same  expresion 
as  its  concrete  form.  It  is  used  on  sylables  that  do  not  bear  the 
prolongation  required  for  a  slow  concrete ;  the  two  extremes  of  the 
interval,  as  in  all  cases  of  discrete  transition,  either  rising  or  filling, 
being  on  two  diferent  sylables.  The  folowing  notation  exemplifies 
the  radical  change  or  skip  of  the  faling  fifth  : 

Yet  Bru tus      says  he  was  am biti ous. 


rf:-«C__^:_jC 


This  line,  as  it  seems  to  me,  requires  the  intonation  of  grave 
surprise  rather  than  that  of  contemptuous  contradiction,  with 
which  it  is  sometimes  read;  and  this  I  have  endeavored  to  express, 
by  the  radical  skip  of  a  fifth,  between  the  sylables  of  Bru-tus,  and 
of  biti-ous.     Tlie  craft  of  Antony's  oration,  in  Julius  Ccesar,  turns 


THE  DOWNWARD   THIRD.  303 

upon  the  design  to  excite  odium  against  the  conspirators,  by  a 
favorable  representation  of  Caesar's  virtues,  rather  than  by  the 
coloring  of  their  crimes.  And  tho  in  the  well  known  sarcasm, 
they  are  reported  to  be  ^  honorable  men,'  certainly  not  with  the 
least  aprobation  of  the  title ;  still,  the  vocal  curl  of  sneer,  some- 
times heard  on  the  words  just  quoted,  is  inapropriate  and  afected. 
At  least  it  is  so,  in  the  early  part  of  the  oration :  and  when  at  last 
the  speaker  is  encouraged  to  a  bolder  style  of  argument  and  lan- 
guage, it  is  that  of  anger  and  revenge  ;  and  these  waste  no  time 
in  the  winding  course  of  contemptuous  intonation.  But  whatever 
may  be  said  of  other  parts  of  the  speech,  I  must  claim  for  the 
above  sentence,  those  downward  intervals  w^hich  expres  the  sur- 
prise of  the  orator,  that  any  one  could  so  violently  rev^erse  the  just 
conclusions  to  be  drawn  from  the  enumerated  acts  of  Caesar:  leav- 
ing the  audience  to  infer  from  this  surprise,  that  some  other  than 
ordinary  or  honest  motives  must  have  influenced  Brutus  to  make 
the  charge  of  ambition  against  him.  Should  the  line  be  read  in 
the  comon  diatonic  melody,  with  the  diference  of  a  tone  only  in 
the  radical  pitch  of  its  emphatic  words,  it  w^ould  report  merely 
what  Brutus  had  saidj  without  the  least  indication  of  the  state  of 
mind  I  have  ascribed  to  it,  and  endeavored  to  ilustrate  by  the 
preceding  diagram. 


SECTIOX   XXIII. 

OJ  the  Interval  of  tJie  Downward  Third. 

The  Downward  Concrete  Third  has  the  expresion  of  the  fifth, 
in  a  more  moderate  degree. 

Dignity  of  vocal  character,  like  that  of  personal  gesture,  con- 
sists not  only  in  the  slownes  of  time,  and  the  restraint  of  forceful 
efort,  but  in  a  limitation  within  the  widest  range  of  movement. 
And  as  there  is  more  composure  in  an  interogative  rise  by  the 
third j  80  the  expresion  of  authority  and  admiration  is  most  sub- 
dued in  the  rise  of  this  downward  intervaL 


304  THE   INTERVAL  OF 

One  remarkable  efect.  of  the  concrete  descent  of  the  third,  on  a 
single  sylable  of  long  quantity,  is  shown  at  the  end  of  a  member, 
or  of  a  clause,  containing  a  terminated  thotj  altho  it.  may  not  be 
marked  by  the  punctuation  of  a  period.  This  use  of  the  third 
was  noticed  and  ilustrated  in  the  eio-hth  section,  and  there  de- 
scribed  as  the  feeble  Cadence.  Its  character  is  not  quite  definite  : 
for  while  indicating  a  close  at  its  place,  it  does  not  altogether  pre- 
vent a  further  continuation.  No  one  on  hearing'  this  cadence, 
would  supose  the  discourse  to  be  necesarily  finished. 

As  the  rising  third  is  sometimes  used  for  emphasis  alone,  inde- 
pendently of  its  interogative  importj  so  the  faling  thiixl  may  be 
employed  without  expresing  surprise  or  comand,  soley  for  varying 
the  efect  of  intonation.  This  may  be  ilustrated  by  the  folowing 
diagram  r 


None        but 

the 

brave !. 

None      but 

the 

brave  f 

ir    ^ 

^ 

^ 

#% 

W 

4 

®     ^ 

qp 

^sB 

None      but 

the 

brave 

de serve 

the 

fair. 

^  if 

4 

g^ 

rT       ^ 

«r 

4 

w        ^ 

% 

Altho  no  inquiiy  is  conveyed  by  these  lines,  we  have  the  rising 
interval  of  the  third  on  one  of  the  emphatic  words.  Yet  there  is 
a  degree  of  admiration  in  the  case,  that  may  be  expresed  by  this 
upward  third.  And  it  will  be  shown  hereafter  that  all  emphatic 
words,  wliatever  other  states  of  mind  they  may  excite,  do  convey 
sometliing  of  the  admirable.  On  this  ground  then  the  emphatic 
repetitions  of  the  Avord  brave  might  rcceve  the  same  interval.  The 
intonation  is  here  varietl  by  seting  the  plain  rising  second  to  the 
first  bravBy  the  downward  third  to  the  second,  and  the  rising  third 
to  the  last:  this,  together  with  the  faling  thiixl  on  the  word  nmie, 
in  its  third  place,  does  produce  at  least  variety.  I  luive  described 
and  represented  these  intonations  as  simple  concretes;  but  the 
emphatic  words  being  long  quantities,  tlicy  require  for  a  full 
efect,  their  aproprlate  form  of  the  wave.  SiK^vkei-s  who  are  not 
aware  of  the  resources  of  intonation,  and  who  cannot  therefore 


THE    DOWNWARD   THIRD.  305 

skilfiily  comand  it,  endeavor  to  atiiin  a  desirable  variety  in  tliese 
lines,  l)v  a  transfer  of  the  emphasis  o^ force;  and  aply  it  sucesively 
to  none  and  but  and  hrcwe.  This  I  know,  wius,  and  perhaps  still  is 
the  formula  for  these  lines,  in  all  our  Schools  and  Colleges;  by  the 
authority  of  English  Elocution.  Regarding  here  the  aparent  pur- 
pose of  the  poet,  and  the  consistent  design  of  vocal  expresion,  this 
variation  is  altoijether  inadmisible.  The  distinction  made  in  this 
ca.se,  by  aplying  stress  to  (liferent  words,  in  each  repetition,  gives 
diferent  meanings  to  the  phrase.  But  reiteration  is  the  exprcsive 
sign  of  an  acumulative  energy  of  thot  or  pasion  ;  and  never  of  its 
change.  The  atempt  therefore  to  vary  the  meaning  of  this  phrase, 
which  must  be  identical  under  any  change  of  emphasis,  ofends 
against  both  dignity  and  truth,  and  betrays  a  limited  power  over 
the  ample  means  for  vocal  variety.  A  full  comand  of  quantity, 
and  of  the  numerous  forms  of  expresion,  renders  it  easy  to  releve 
the  ear  from  monotony,  without  misrepresenting  the  author :  for, 
if  these  lines  were  a  prompting  of  poetry,  and  not  like  some  other 
parts  of  the  Ode,  a  monotonous  trick  of  words,  the  purpose  must 
have  been  intended,  under  any  mental  climax,  to  be  one  and  the 
same,  in  all  the  repetitions. 

In  the  above  notation,  I  have  not  ilustrated  the  uses  of  time, 
force,  the  tremor,  and  other  forms  of  intonation,  which  are  here 
available,  and  give  aditional  means  for  variety. 

The  downward  radical  pitch  of  the  third  is  employed  for  em- 
phasis, on  imutable  sylables.  But  it  has  a  particular  use  in  efect- 
ing  an  impresive  consumation  of  the  close  of  melody.  In  the 
eighth  section  it  was  shown,  that  diferent  species  of  the  cadence 
denote  various  degrees  of  repose ;  the  second  tripartite  form,  in 
which  each  of  the  radicals  with  its  doM'nward  vanish,  is  heard  dis- 
tinctly in  succesive  descent,  being  the  most  marked  indication  of 
the  period.  It  is  posible  however,  to  increase  the  characteristic  of 
this  form,  by  aditional  means.  When  a  melody  is  in  the  higher 
range  of  pitch,  a  gradual  descent  of  the  curent,  as  it  aproachcs  the 
cadence,  may  be  properly  employed  for  that  purpose.  Yet  it  is 
more  elegant  and  impresive,  to  aply  the  downward  radical  change 
of  a  third,  with  eitiicr  a  rising  or  faling  concrete,  acording  to  the 
effect  desired,  on  some  sylable  preceding  the  close ;  as  in  the 
folowing  notation : 


306  THE   DOWNWARD   THIRD. 


Through      E den     took      their        sol i ta ry   way 


A:^ 


When  the  whole  of  this  line  is  read,  with  only  the  radical  change 
of  a  second j  the  cadence  with  its  three  descending  radicals  and  con- 
cretes, does  mark  the  fulnes  of  a  period.  By  making  the  radical 
skip  of  a  downward  third,  from  den  to  took,  we  have  that  warning 
of  the  period,  or  that  note  of  preparation,  wliich  produces  the 
uterly  reposing  conclusion,  required  by  the  audience,  and  due  by 
the  reader,  at  the  termination  of  Paradise  Lost.  The  last  line  of 
Pope's  translation  of  the  Iliad  may  be  read  to  the  same  notation. 
'  And  peaceful  slept  the  mighty  Hector's  shade.'  It  does  not  apear, 
in  this  form  of  the  Cadence,  that  the  sylable  should  be  emphatic, 
except  for  its  preparatory  purpose  ;  or  that  it  should  be,  in  diferent 
sentences,  at  any  fixed  distance  from  the  cadence.  Nor  is  a  choice 
forbiden,  between  words  more  or  less  removed  from  the  close,  in 
the  same  sentence.  In  the  two  preceding  examples  of  iambic  lines, 
it  falls  on  the  cesura  of  a  like  foot,  in  each.  In  the  folowing,  from 
the  final  Benediction  of  the  Church-service,  it  ocurs  imediately 
preceding  the  Triad.  '  The  felowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with 
us  all  evermore.'  In  the  fulfilment  of  Elisha's  imprecation  on 
Gehazi,  it  may  be  placed  either  on  the  sixth  or  ninth  sylable  be- 
fore the  cadence,  and  perhaps  on  both.  'And  he  went  out  from 
his  presence,  a  leper  as  wliite  as  snow.'  It  is  to  be  remarked  here, 
that  a  concrete  downward  third  or  fifth  may  serve  the  same  termi- 
native  purpose;  and  that  in  each  case  this  emphatic  distinction 
should  not  be  given  to  a  trivial  word  that  does  not  deserve  it. 

Other  cadences  denote,  in  various  degrees,  the  conclusion  of  a 
particular  thot.  This  Prepared  Cadence,  if  we  may  so  call  it, 
impliesj  the  subject  itself  of  a  paragraph,  a  chapter,  or  a  volume, 
is  finished.  I  leave  future  observei*s,  to  perceve  otlier  phenomena 
on  this  subject,  and  to  lay  down  rules  for  construction  and  for 
choice. 

In  the  eighth  section,  five  forms  of  the  cadence  are  named. 
The  Prepared,  which  is  however,  no  more  than  a  stresful  adition 
to  the  close,  may  be  united  with  each  of  these,  if  we  may  perhaps 


THE   DOWNWARD   SECOND    AND   SEMITONE.  307 

except  the  feeble  cadence ;  but  its  purpose  is  only  strictly  fulfiled 
when  it  is  placed  before  the  second  triad,  with  a  downward  con- 
crete on  each  of  its  constituents.  All  the  forms  of  the  cadence 
are  severaly  required  by  speakers,  to  give  a  just  character  and 
variety  to  the  close. 

It  is  not  expected,  the  Reader  will  be  able  at  once  to  distinguish 
and  to  aply  all  the  varieties  of  the  cadence.  Some  of  them  how- 
ever, cannot  be  mistaken.  The  prepared  form  of  the  faling  triad, 
is  the  most  complete ;  and  this  is  clearly  separable  from  what  was 
called  the  feeble  cadence,  or  the  faintest  indication  of  the  period. 
With  atention  to  our  history,  no  ear  will,  on  exemplification,  con- 
found the  efect  of  the  two  tripartites,  and  the  feeble,  with  that  of 
the  prepared  cadence. 

I  have  little  to  say  of  the  Minor  third ;  the  expresion  of  its 
downward,  like  that  of  its  upward  concrete,  is  plaintive.  As  ray 
ear  informs  me,  it  is  only  heard  as  a  fault  in  speech. 


SECTION  XXIV. 
Oj  the   Doumward  Second  and  Semitone. 

I  HAVE  classed  the  Downward  Second  and  Semitone,  under  the 
same  head,  on  acount  of  the  limited  extent  of  the  remarks  here 
made  upon  them.  They  liave  a  high  importance  in  speech ;  and 
this,  principaly  as  downward  continuations  of  their  previous  rise 
into  that  form  of  intonation,  caled  the  Wave. 

A  remarkable  use  of  the  downward  concrete  second  or  tone,  is 
as  the  last  constituent  of  both  the  diatonic  and  the  chromatic  ca- 
dence. It  forms  the  constituent  concretes  of  the  falwg  triad ;  and 
is  used,  tho  its  eflPect  is  not  very  conspicuous,  in  the  sucesions  of 
the  diatonic  melody,  for  the  purj)ose  of  contrast  with  the  rising 
second,  which,  in  the  history  of  that  melody  was,  acording  to  tlic 
progresive  method  of  unfolding  our  subject,  given  as  its  sole 
characteristic. 


308  THE   DOWNWARD   SECOND   AND   SEMITONE. 

The  downward  concrete  semitone  is  employed  for  variety,  in  the 
curent  of  a  chromatic  melody.  It  is  also  aplied  to  the  firet  and 
second  constituents  of  a  chromatic  cadence ;  the  radical  descent  of 
this  cadence  being  by  the  skip  of  a  whole  tone ;  and  the  downward 
vanish  on  the  last  or  closing  constituent,  being  thru  the  space  of 
that  same  second  or  tone. 

In  terminating  the  history  of  the  downward  intervals,  one  can- 
not avoid  pausing  for  a  moment,  in  admiration  at  the  simple  forms 
of  the  few,  well-adjusted,  and  significant  signs,  discoverable  in  the 
endles  intermingling  and  suposed  complexity,  of  the  constituents 
employed  for  vocal  expresion.  Nor  can  the  prophetic  eye  of 
science  and  taste  well  survey  these  eficient  and  manageable  signs, 
without  reaching  to  some  foreknowledge  of  that  Systematic  Art  of 
Speech,  which  at  some  distant  day,  must  be  raised  upon  the  new 
and  lasting  foundation  of  Analytic  Elocution.  I  have  not  ex- 
tended the  inquiry,  nor  presumptuously  aimed  to  aply  the  princi- 
ples founded  thereon,  to  the  entire  detail  of  the  subject ;  being 
contented  to  encourage  others  towards  a  work  of  greater  range  and 
precision,  by  seting  before  them  what  is  here  acomplishal,  in  a 
case  of  suposed  imposibility.  For  if  the  Coai'se-Art  of  Popu- 
larity is  not  now  at  work,  to  make  the  Fine  Arts  all  his  own,  I 
must  hopej  there  will  be  some  beautiful  finishing  of  that  system 
for  the  ordering  of  speech,  which  here  seems  only  just  begun.  He 
who  chooses  to  folow  the  path  thus  opened,  may  fortunately  find 
himself  among  the  first  comers  to  an  ungathered  field ;  a  field,  un- 
visited  and  unclaimed,  only  because  it  is  beleved  by  the  indolent, 
to  be  baren  or  inacessible ;  or  because  the  eye  of  iresolute  inquiry 
has  been  turned  from  the  leading  star  of  observ^ation,  by  the  vain 
atractions  of  theory,  and  the  delusive  authority  of  Names.  For 
what  more  docs  the  phrase,  '  genius  for  discovery '  mean,  than  the 
Art  of  forgeting  our  personal  selves  and  the  praises  of  others;  and 
looking  broadly,  closely,  and  pcrseveringly  at  our  work  ?  Too 
many  of  us,  alas !  supose  we  are  doing  all  these  tilings,  when  we 
are  only  closely  and  pcrseveringly  tracing  our  narow  path  to  noto- 
riety; and  hunting,  sharp-scented,  yet  often  at  fault,  after  the 
favorable  opinion  of  mankind. 


THE   WAVE  OF   THE   VOICE.  309 

SECTION  XXV. 

Oj  the  Wave  of  tJie  Voice. 

The  Wave  of  tlie  voice,  as  briefly  explained  in  the  second  sec- 
tion, is  a  continuation  of  the  upward  into  the  downward  concrete 
movement.  "We  are  told  by  the  Grecksj  this  function  was  analyt- 
icaly  known  to  them.  Yet  if  science  did  favor  them  with  this 
initial  means,  for  furtlier  increase  of  knowledge,  they  were  thrift- 
les  in  the  trust,  and  only  hid  their  talent  in  the  napkin.  It  is 
noticed  by  modern  writei's,  particularly  by  ]\Ir.  Steele  and  Mr. 
Walker,  under  the  term,  Circumflex  acent. 

As  tlie  wave  is  composed  of  two  oposite  courses  of  the  concrete, 
each  of  which  may  be  of  difercnt  intervals ;  and  as  the  direction 
of  the  voice  at  its  outset,  and  the  number  of  its  flexures  may  varyj 
the  Reader  will  find  in  the  history  of  this  sign,  numerous  sub- 
divisions :  but  still  with  their  details  definitely  described  by  the 
terms,  of  their  intervals. 

The  Wave  is  a  very  frequent  sign  of  expresion,  and  performs 
important  ofices  in  speech.  It  therefore  becomes  him  who  is  wiling 
to  turn  from  the  falterings  of  an  instinctive  elocution,  to  the  fulncs, 
and  precision  of  scientific  rule,  not  to  overlook  the  subject  of  the 
wave. 

In  order  to  represent  this  mater  clearly,  let  the  several  upward 
and  downward  movements  of  the  wave,  be  caled  its  Constituents. 
The  constituents  may  then  be  severaly  octaves,  fifths,  thirds, 
seconds  and  semitones,  either  in  an  upward  or  downiward  direction. 

Further,  as  the  upward  and  downward  concrete  may  be  of  varied 
extent,  it  folows  that  the  wave  may  be  constituted  of  an  upward 
and  downward  movement  of  the  same  interval ;  or  these  constit- 
uents may  difer  in  extent  from  each  other.  It  may  consist  of  a 
rising  and  a  faling  third  conjoined  ;  or  of  a  rising  second  continued 
into  a  faling  third.  These  varied  constructions  give  ocasion  for  a 
distinction  of  the  wave  into  P^qual,  and  Unequal. 

It  will  be  found  on  experiment,  that  the  wave  with  its  first 
constituent  ascending,  and  its  second  descending,  has  a  (liferent 


310  THE  WAVE  OP  THE   VOICE., 

expresion  from  one,  with  a  reverse  course  of  its  constituents.  Of 
the  variations  thus  produced,  let  the  former  case  be  caled  the  Direct 
wave,  the  later  the  Inverted. 

I  have  here  represented  the  wave  as  consisting  of  only  two  con- 
stituents. It  may  have  three  or  even  more ;  for  the  Direct  may 
have  a  subsequent  rising  interval,  and  the  Inverted,  a  subsequent 
faling  one.  When  there  are  but  two  constituents,  it  may  be  caled 
the  Singlej  Avhen  three,  the  Double  Avave.  Should  there  be  more 
than  three,  as  may  hapen  in  rare  and  peculiar  cases,  to  be  pointed 
out  presently,  the  Continued  wave. 

These  several  forms  admit  of  various  combinations  with  each 
other.  The  equal  and  the  unequal  wave  may  each  l)e  direct  and 
inverted,  single  and  double.  The  double-unequal  may  have  its 
three  constituents  disimilar ;  or  perhaps  two  of  them,  the  first  and 
second,  or  second  and  third,  or  first  and  third  may  be  alike,  which 
I  do  not  represent  on  the  table.  The  direct  and  inverted,  may 
each  be  equal  or  unequal,  single  or  double.  The  single  and  double 
may  each  be  equal  or  unequal,  direct  or  inverted. 

Upon  a  diagram,  in  the  second  section,  there  is  a  notation  of 
each  of  these  leading  forms  of  the  wave,  except  the  Continued. 
As  their  several  varieties  can  be  easily  suposcd,  and  may,  from 
the  maner  of  the  examples,  be  drawn  by  the  pupil  himself,  I  shall, 
in  the  folowing  Tabular  views,  name,  without  ilustrating  the  uses 
of  all  the  posible  permutations  of  their  several  constituents :  re- 
marking here,  that  a  limited  number  only,  of  these  changes  are  of 
practical  importance  in  present  elocution. 


TABULAR    VIEW   OF   THE    WAVE. 


til 


Equal, 


Single, 


n 


w 


Double, 


Direct, 


Inverted,    .5  s 


I 


Direct, 


.£•1  ^ 


i!  tfl 


.c       Inverted,    .5  ^ 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


1     2 


Unequal, 


o    J 


•2 


Single, 


W 


•S 


Direct, 


Double,   0)   - 


Direct, 


5  ti: 

c  .S 


Inverted,    C;5 


C.5 


c  .5 


Inverted,    .c  .5 


Octave, 

Fifth, 
Third, 
Second, 
Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


Octave, 

Fifth, 

Third, 

Second, 

Semitone, 


312  THE   WAVE   OF   THE   VOICE. 

In  the  preceding  view,  only  the  first  constituent  of  the  Unequal 
wave  is  given.  Another  tabular  scheme  is  subjoined  of  its  second 
and  third  constituents;  the  intervals  in  each  of  the  three  being 
diferent.  And  I  must  here  rej^eatj  these  tables  represent  what 
may  be  performed  by  the  voice,  in  the  multiplicity  of  its  combi- 
nations ;  a  limited  number  only  of  which  are  to  be  regarded  with 
reference  to  their  practical  purposes  in  speech. 

In  thus  penetrating  the  receses  of  Nature,  we  must  be  alowed 
to  describe  her  most  minute  phenomena,  however  presently  useles 
it  may  be.  Nearly  all  the  forms  of  the  wave  here  noticed,  might 
be  made  designedly  by  a  skilful  efort  of  intonation ;  and  perhaps 
are  made  in  daily  discourse,  by  the  instinctive  eforts  of  speech. 
Yet  the  unequal  wave,  far  as  I  can  perceve,  has  no  particular  ex- 
presion  alloted  to  each  of  its  several  forms ;  most  of  the  varieties 
represented,  being  only  permutations  of  constituents,  answering 
the  same  purpose.  Whether  these  waves  not  specialy  significant 
with  us,  have  ever  been  used  to  denote  states  of  mind,  or  ever 
will  be,  is  yet  to  be  told.  We  have  heard,  but  belief  should  keep 
a  skeptic  watch  on  hearing,  that  the  Chinese  vary  the  meaning  of 
the  same  elemental  or  sylabic  sound,  eight  or  ten  times,  by  changes 
of  intonation.  Do  they  draw  upon  the  forms  of  the  folowing  table 
of  the  unequal  wave  ?  Under  any  answer  to  this^  question,  the 
analysis  of  speech,  contained  in  this  Work,  will  enable  the  Pho- 
netic Ethnologist  to  investigate  the  subject  of  his  inquiry,  with 
precision,  and  with  an  inteligible  result. 


TABULAR   VIEW  OF  THE  WAVE. 


313 


Single. 


-  < 


Double. 


Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct     " 
or 
Inverted, 


Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 

Inverted, 

Direct 

or 
Inverted, 


Tlip  first  const!-    The  oecond  con- 
tuent  being        stitiient  being 
cither  a 


f  Semitone 
J  second 
J  third  or 
(.fifth. 


^  r  Semitone 

I  a  Fifth.  J  second 

I  J  third  or 

'  I.  octave. 

I  r  Semitone 

la  Third.  J  sewnd 

[  j  fifth  or 

'  V  octave. 

I' Semitone 
>&  Second.      J  third 
J  fifth  or 
t  octave. 

f Second 
■  a  Semitone.  J  ^^ird 
J  fifth  or 
V.  octave. 


The  thiril  con- 
stituent being 
either  a 


■  an  Octave. 


r  Semitone  /-  2d  3d  or  5th. 

I  second  J  Sem.  .3d  or  5th. 

^  third  or  \  Sem.  2d  or  5th. 

(fifth.  (  Sem.  2d  or  3d. 


a  Fifth. 


a  Third. 


-a  Second. 


{Semitone 
second 
tliird  or 
octave. 

/•  Semitone 
J  second 
\  fifth  or 

(^  octave. 

f  Semitone 
I  third 
S  fifth  or 
(^  octave. 


/'  Second 

a  Semitone.^  ffor 
(^  octave. 


/'2d  3d  or  8th. 
'  Sem.  3d  or  8th. 
I  Sem.  2d  or  8th. 
[^Sem.  2d  or  3d. 

r2d  5th  or  8th. 
I  Sem.  5th  or  8th. 
Sem.  2d  or  8th. 
^  Sem.  2d  or  5th. 

-  3d  5th  or  8th. 
Sem.  5th  or  8th. 
Sem.  3d  or  8th. 
Sem.  3d  or  5th. 

3d  5th  or  8th. 
2d  6th  or  8tii. 
2d  3d  or  8th. 
2d  3d  or  5th. 


21 


314  THE   WAVE  OF  THE  VOICE. 

From  a  comprehensive  view  of  this  table  it  is  manifest^  there 
might  be  other  methods  of  aranging  its  details.  Each  of  the  dis- 
tinctions given  above  might  be  taken  as  tlie  generic  heads  of  the 
wave ;  and  the  others  might  be  included  as  species.  We  might 
take  the  five  intervals,  for  heads  of  as  many  divisions,  and  under 
each,  for  instance  the  octave,  consider.  First;  the  equal  form  of 
this  interval,  and  its  combination  with  other  intervals  into  the 
unequal  form ;  Second ;  its  direct  and  inverted,  and  Third,  its 
single  and  double  forms.  Or  we  might  take  the  distinction  into 
single  and  double  for  the  two  generic  heads,  and  under  each  of 
these,  enumerate  the  species,  as  being  equal  or  unequal,  direct  or 
inverted  :  and  so  of  any  otlier  asumed  order  of  these  distinctions. 

I  shall,  acording  to  the  arangement  in  the  table,  divide  the 
phenomena  of  the  wave  into  two  great  clases,  the  Equal  and 
Unequal,  and  subdividing  each  of  these  by  the  terms  of  the  five 
intervals  of  the  scale,  shall  under  the  heads  of  these  intervals, 
consider  the  direct  and  inverted,  the  single  and  double  forms. 

The  pains  taken  to  define  the  technical  terms  of  this  esay,  to- 
gether with  the  exemplification  by  diagram,  in  the  second  section 
must  have  rendered  all  the  movements  on  the  scale,  quite  familiar 
to  those  who  realy  desire  to  learn.  Tlie  description  of  the  wave 
may  therefore  be  so  easily  comprehended,  that  without  a  further 
notation,  the  Reader  can  readily  picture  its  various  forms,  as  we 
shall  hereafter  aply  them. 

To  learn  the  purpose,  and  expresion  of  the  wave,  let  us  recol- 
ect  that  it  is  compounded  of  a  rising  and  a  faling  interval,  the 
several  characteristics  of  which  have  already  been  described.  It 
will  therefore  be  found,  that  the  Avavc  2)artakes  respectively  of  the 
expresion  of  its  various  constituents :  and  further,  that  its  con- 
tinuous line  of  contrary  flexures  enables  the  voice  to  cary  on  a 
long  quantity,  without  the  risk  of  faling  into  the  protracted  into- 
nation of  song. 

The  expresion  of  the  wave  in  all  its  forms,  is  modified  by  the 
aplication  of  stress  to  diferent  parts  of  its  course;  at  the  begining, 
or  at  the  end,  or  at  the  place  of  junction  of  its  constituents. 


THE  EQUAL   WAVE  OF  THE  OCTAVE.  315 

SECTION  XXVI. 

Of  the  Equal   Wave  of  the  Octave. 

The  Equal  AVavc  of  the  Octave  is  made  by  a  movement  of  the 
voice,  in  its  ujnvard,  and  continuously  into  its  downward  interval. 
It  may  be  either  single,  consisting  of  two  constituents  ;  or  double, 
consisting  of  three  ;  tho  this  double  form  is  scarcely  used.  It  may 
also  be  difercntly  constructed,  by  the  first  constituent  ascending, 
and  the  second  descending,  forming  the  dircctj  and  by  a  reversed 
sucesion,  the  inverted  wave. 

The  equal  wave  of  the  octave  in  its  single  form  is  rarely  em- 
ployed in  serious  discourse.  If  used  in  the  lower  range  of  pitch, 
to  avoid  the  sharpnes  of  the  falsete,  it  gives  an  apropriate  ex- 
presion  to  the  highest  state  of  astonishment,  admiration  and  com- 
and.  When  it  asumes  the  higher  range,  as  it  is  apt  to  do,  it  loses 
its  dignity  as  an  impresive  sign.  Children  sometimes  employ  it 
for  mockery  in  their  contentions  and  jests.  Its  double  form  ha.s 
the  same  exprcsion,  under  a  more  continued  quantity.  The  re- 
verse order  of  its  constituents  gives  a  diferent  character,  respect- 
ively to  its  single-direct,  and  to  its  single-inverted  turns ;  for  the 
later  by  ending  in  an  upward  concrete,  has  the  intonation  of  a 
question,  under  what  we  called  the  Interogative  Wave ;  the  former, 
by  a  downward  final  movement,  has  the  positivencs  and  surprise 
of  the  simple  faling  intervals.  When  the  direct  and  the  inverted 
wave  of  the  octave  is  respectively  double,  the  rule  of  final  expresion 
will  be  reversed ;  for  the  double-direct  will  then  end  with  the 
rising  or  interogative  movement. 

The  double  form  of  the  wave,  particularly  of  the  octave,  claims 
atention  rather  as  a  part  of  our  physiological  history,  than  as  a 
subject  of  oratorical  ])ropriety  and  taste  ;  and  may,  in  point  of  use 
and  expresion,  be  rather  clased  with  theatrical  outrages,  and  vulgar 
mouthings. 


316  THE    EQUAL    WAVE    OF   THE    FIFTH. 

SECTION  XXVII. 

OJ  the  Equal   Wave  of  the  Fifth. 

Enough  has  been  said  of  intervals,  to  explain  the  Equal  Wave 
of  the  Fifth.  Its  name  is  descriptive  of  its  structure.  Nor  need 
it  be  shown  particularly  of  this,  nor  indeed  of  the  suceding  sec- 
tional heads  of  the  wave,  in  what  maner  the  single  and  double, 
the  direct  and  inverted  forms  are  made. 

The  equal  wave  of  the  fifth,  is  used  as  one  of  the  means  of 
emphatic  distinction ;  and  has  therein  an  expresion  varying  with 
its  form.  The  equal-single-direct  wave  of  the  fifth  consists  of  an 
ascending  and  a  descending  concrete ;  the  first  expressive  of  in- 
terogation,  and  the  last  of  positiveues  and  surprise.  But  a  junc- 
tion of  these  oposite  constituents  takes  in  a  great  degree,  from  the 
rising,  its  indication  of  a  question ;  and  leaves  to  the  faling,  the 
full  character  of  its  positivenes  and  surprise.  There  is  however, 
another  efect  of  this  junction,  besides  the  overruling  of  interoga- 
tion.  When  a  state  of  mind  requiring  the  simple  downward  fifth 
is  grave  or  dignified,  it  is  expresed  by  prejoining  the  rising  fifth j 
to  form  a  direct  wave ;  and  this  direct  wave  is  used  instead  of  the 
simple  fall,  to  give  time  to  the  sylable  that  beare  it;  for  should  the 
emphatic  sylable  require  an  extended  quantity,  the  wave  takes  the 
place  of  the  simple  interval,  which  under  unskilful  intonation 
might,  in  the  efort  to  extend  it,  pass  into  the  protracted  radical,  or 
vanish  of  song. 

The  inverted  wave  of  the  fifth  has  the  compound  expresion  of 
surprised  interogation,  produced  by  the  termination  of  its  last  con- 
stituent in  the  upward  vanish.  And  it  apoarsj  the  direct  wave  of 
this,  as  well  as  of  other  wider  intervals,  retiiins  a  degree  of  intero- 
gation ;  and  the  inverted,  a  degree  of  positivenes  and  surprise. 

There  is  not  much  diference  between  the  expresion  of  the  single, 
and  of  the  double  wave  of  the  fifth,  except  what  arises  from  a 
change  of  structure  by  the  adition  of  a  third  constituent.  The 
double-direct  here  assumes  an  interogative  expression,  from  the 
vanishing  rise  of  its  last  constituent;  and  the  double-inverted  has 


THE    EQUAL    WAVE    OF   THE   THIRD.  317 

the  moaning  of  surprise  from  its  downward  termination.  Perhaps 
there  is  a  little  scorn  conveyed  by  the  double  form  of  the  equal 
wave  of  the  fifth.  This  is  certainly  the  case  when  the  last  con- 
stituent receves  greater  strcs  than  the  others.  On  the  whole  how- 
ever, this  double  form  is  not  very  frequently  used  as  a  sign  of 
expresion. 


SECTION  XXVIII. 

OJ  the  Equal  Wave  of  the  Third. 

The  Equal  Wave  of  the  Third,  in  the  degree  of  its  expresion, 
bears  such  a  relation  to  the  equal  wave  of  the  fifth,  as  the  simple 
rise  of  the  third  bears  to  the  simple  rise  of  that  interval. 

In  all  its  forms,  whether  single  or  double,  direct  or  inverted, 
the  expresion  resembles  respectively,  but  in  a  more  moderate  de- 
gree, that  of  the  diferent  species  of  the  equal  wave  of  the  fifth. 
From  its  less  impresive  character,  it  is  more  frequently  employed 
for  emphasis  in  the  admirative  and  reverentive  style,  than  the  fifth 
and  the  octave,  which  arc  especialy  apropriate  to  the  earncstnes  of 
coloquial  dialogue,  and  to  the  pasionative  intonations  of  the  drama. 
It  also  serves,  like  the  other  waves,  to  extend  the  quantity  of  syla- 
bles  in  deliberate  and  dignified  discourse;  and  to  preserve,  at  the 
same  time,  the  characteristic  equable-concrete  of  speech. 

The  equal  wave  of  the  Minor  third,  we  have  said  is  not  ad- 
mLssible  into  speech ;  but  if  improperly  introduced,  as  it  often  is, 
the  efect  of  its  inverted  form  does  not  difcr  much  from  that  of  its 
direct. 


318  THE    EQUAL    WAVE    OP   THE   SECOND. 

SECTION   XXIX. 

Oj  the  Equal    Wave   of  the   Second. 

We  have  now  to  consider  the  equal  wave  of  the  second,  which, 
if  ever  the  time  for  a  Natural,  and  thereupon  a  Scientific  System 
of  Elocution  shall  come  to  pass,  will  be  regarded  as  a  very  impor- 
tant and  interesting  part  of  intonation. 

The  dificulty  of  perspicuously  defining  and  dividing  the  details 
of  a  subject,  altogether  as  new  to  the  author  himself,  as  to  his 
Reader ;  and  of  giving  a  full  description  of  parts  that  are  element- 
ary and  closely  related,  and  that  must  be  sucesively  explained, 
obliged  him  to  procede  in  the  maner  of  gradual  and  partial  de- 
velopmentj  of  changeful  arangementj  and  of  frequent  reconsidera- 
tion, which  produced  this  first,  and  so  fiir,  only  full  and  instructive 
method  of  Analytic  Elocution.  In  improving,  or  completing  many 
of  those  sucesive  systems  of  Science,  which  thru  years  or  cen- 
turies, have  been  progresively  extended,  retrenched,  and  simplifiedj 
method  after  method  has  been  adopted,  altered,  and  rejected ;  and 
every  subsequent  observer,  knowing  the  atempts  and  failure  of 
his  predecesors,  has  been  enabled  to  suply  the  deficiencies,  and 
corect  the  erors  of  former  clasifications.  For  plan  and  purpose, 
in  this  ofered  system  of  intonation,  there  was  no  preceding  out- 
line either  of  fiction  or  of  truth ;  no  instructive  sketches  of  cor- 
ected  erors,  to  save  the  author  from  his  own ;  and  as  yet,  even  no 
friendly-enmity  of  criticism  to  '  pluck '  them  from  his  pages  and 
'  throw  them  in  his  face.'  He  was  therefore  at  first,  and  has  been, 
in  preparing  suceding  editions,  obliged  to  ask  the  arduous,  but 
wiling  asistance  of  his  own  endeavors,  to  suply  his  oversights,  and 
corect  his  faults :  too  often  a  vain  and  fruitles  labor.*     In  acord- 

*  "What  is  here  said  of  the  kindly  slaps  of  criticism  is  no  longer  literally 
true  ;  thanks  to  the  friendship  of  enmity  ;  fur  it  has  corected  our  over-estimate 
of  the  intelectual  capacity  of  the  old  elocutionist.  I  may  differ  from  some  of 
my  Readers,  who  beleve  that  truth  and  jus^tice  can  never  lose  thoir  dignity, 
however  they  may  descend  to  the  comonality  of  persons  and  things ;  yet  I 
am  wiling,  under  the  privilege  of  a  Note  at  least,  to  make,  if  it  so  seems,  a 
sacrifice  of   dignity  and  taste  to  a  humorous  thot,  reminding  mo  that  in 


THE    EQUAL   WAVE   OF    THE   SECOND.  319 

ance  with  the  maner  of  Dividing  and  Instructing  here  employed, 
our  acount  of  the  diatonic  melody,  regardc<l  only  the  radical  and 
concrete  pitch  of  the  set^nd,  and  its  suciesionsj  thereby,  to  avoid 
confusitiiT  the  Reader.  Other  functions  and  iLses  of  the  concrete 
were  therefore  kept  out  of  view.  It  has  since  been  shown,  that 
the  dowmvard  vanish  of  a  second  is  introduced,  for  the  purpose  of 
varying  the  curent ;  and  that  for  interogative,  and  for  emphatic 
expresion,  other  mtervals  both  rising  and  falling,  and  these  united 
into  the  wave,  contribute  to  form  the  full  and  proper  expresive 
melody  of  speech.  We  procede  to  show  further,  that  the  Diatonic 
Melody,  this  Groundwork  of  all  the  other  intervals,  employs  the 
wave  of  the  second  a.s  an  important,  or  an  esential  constituent  of 
its  deliberate  and  dignified  character.  The  Reader  has  already 
learned  that  long  quantity  is  necesary  for  executing  the  wider  in- 
tervals and  waves.  When  therefore  the  interthotive  and  pasiona- 
tive  styles  are  ocasionaly  required  on  the  diatonic  Ground,  they 
can  be  applied  only  to  prolonged  sylables.  But  as  the  plain  nara- 
tive  melody  does  not,  along  with  its  dignified  character,  cx)nvey 
any  remarkable  expresion,  there  should  be  some  means,  for  de- 
noting this  character,  diferent  both  from  the  wider  intervals  and 
waves,  which  are  pasionative  signsj  and  from  the  simple  rise  and 
fall  of  the  second,  which  are  suitable  only  to  short  quantities,  in  a 
quick  and  'triping'  speech.  These  means  are  a  prolonged  quan- 
tity, on  the  wave  of  the  second,  in  its  direct  and  inverted,  and 
sometimes  its  double  form.  In  a  previous  section,  there  is  an 
ilustration,  from  Paradise  Lost,  of  the  want  of  suficient  length, 
in  certain  acented  and  emphatic  sylables.  I  here  use  that  instance 
for  exemplifying  the  wave  of  the  second  ;  where  the  simple  rise 
and  fall  of  this  interval  is  set  on  all  the  short  and  unacented  syla- 

eightecn  hundred  and  fifty-five,  an  English  reviewer,  of  limited  learning, 
perhaps  Bome  journalized  influence,  and  very  near  to  total  deafness,  fell  at 
last,  not  ujion  the  erors  of  our  Work,  but  upon  what  he  took  to  be  its  incom- 
prehensibility; and  disapointing  our  expectations  about  'fault  and  facej  > 
threw  the  whole  Work  itself  '  to  the  dogs; '  not  consideringj  how  quick  an 
ear  these  animals  have  for  the  high  and  low,  long  and  short,  strong  and  weak, 
harsh  and  gentle,  and  particularly  for  the  barking  abruptnes  in  the  human 
voice. 

We  wait  to  see  whether  trusty  Ponto  can  make  more  of  the  subject  than  his 
distrusted  Master. 


320 


THE  EQUAL   WAVE   OF   THE  SECOND. 


bles ;  the  direct  or  inverted  wave,  on  all  that  are  at  the  same  time 
of  long  quantity,  either  acented  or  emphatic ;  and  where  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  faint  rapid  concrete,  on  short  and  unacented  sylables 
is  aplied  even  to  the  interval  of  the  second. 


High      on      a 

throne 

of      roy al 

state, 

which     far 

f^d  4 

t^ 

■•^♦v 

A 

1 

Out— 

— shone        the    wealth    of        Or mus      and     of    Ind, 

^ 

•^   •    •    ^   •      ^  ^^^ 

^   ^    •    \_y              • 

Or        where     the       gor geous 

East     with     rich-est     hand 

4  <^^   ^4 

•    tt    ^^^ 

\ 

\   \ 

Show ers      on    her     Kings    bar — ba — ric      pearl    and    gold, 


i-^n. 


fx  ^  4~i  fN  «r 


Sa tan 

ex 

— alt — 

— ed 

sat. 

K 

-4 

•^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

This  is  a  fine  pasagc  of  descriptive  poetry :  and  the  intonation 
here  directed,  seems,  to  me  at  least,  upro})riate  to  its  character. 
There  is  great  grandeur  in  the  generic  thought  of  the  Ocjision ; 
the  language  is  richly  imprcsivc,  and  the  comparisons,  striking  and 
magnificent.  But  the  description  is  not  ])romptod  by  that  excited 
state  which  we  distinguished,  as  pa.sionative :  nor  should  it  excite 
that  condition  in  the  mind  of  an  audience.     The  subject  is  pre- 


THE    EQUAL    AVAVE   OF    THE   SECH:)ND.  321 

seuteil  by  the  narator,  for  dignified  and  grave  atention.  We  are 
invited  to  look  up  at  the  'bad  eminence'  of  this  royal  exaltation, 
and  behold  the  splendor,  surounding  a  superhuman  greatncs.  It 
is  however,  only  the  Stil-life  of  the  imperial  Throne,  and  has  not 
aa  yet  arouzed  a  ]>asion.  The  poet,  without  himself  stooping  to 
overcome  the  beholder  with  the  vulgar  disturbance  of  wonder, 
elevates  his  pic^ture  to  the  refined  and  inter-thotive  state  of  admi- 
ration. For  this  requires  no  wider  rising  and  faling  thirds  or 
fifths  or  octaves ;  no  semitones ;  no  florid  waves ;  no  tremors,  nor 
percusive  acentsj  in  short,  no  excesive  nor  extraordinary  use  of 
vocal ity,  time,  force,  abruptnes  or  pitch.  The  diagram  shows  the 
simple  upward  or  the  downward  rapid  concrete,  on  all  the  short 
and  unacental  sylables;  and  the  direct  or  inverted  wave  of  the 
second,  on  the  long  and  acented.  The  feeble  cadence  is  set  on  the 
word  gold,  as  this  terminates  the  description  of  the  Throne,  but 
not  the  sentence ;  which  is  finally  closed  by  the  faling  triad  :  and 
this  is  made  more  complete,  by  the  radical  descent  of  a  third  on 
the  sylable  tan,  forming  the  Prepared  cadence :  which  however, 
by  the  continuation  of  the  text,  is  not  here  required.  I  have  so 
aranged  the  intonation,  as  to  give  variety  to  the  curent  of  the 
melody.  The  prevailing  phrase  of  radical  pitch  is  the  monotonej 
whether  the  concrete  rises  or  falls,  or  the  wave  is  direct  or  invertedj 
yet  this  line  is  broken  ocasionaly  by  the  rising  and  faling  ditone. 
The  phrase  of  the  monotone  here  used,  is  strictly  apropriate  to 
that  deliberate  and  solemn  style,  formed  by  ading  what  we  have 
caled  the  inter-thoughtive  signs,  to  narative  or  descriptive  dis- 
course. And  tho  we  cannot,  consistently  with'  our  phrase,  narative 
thot,  properly  ascribe  expresion  to  the  monotone,  yet  we  perceve, 
it  has  a  remarkable  character.* 

*  Sometimes  a  subject  is  more  clearly  viewed,  in  the  broad  li,2;bt  of  its  con- 
trary. Let  our  extract  then  be  read  in  the  Falseto,  with  every  kind  of  inter- 
val and  wave,  mintjling  as  if  they  had  been  given  us,  only  to  run  up  and 
down  the  voice,  and  tumble  over  sylables,  without  a  steady  regard  to  thOt  or 
expresion.  Such  outrages  always  raise  their  contrasts;  and  we  close  our  ears 
upon  the  nuisance,  to  supose  the  lines,  utercd  in  a  full  orotund,  with  a  well 
adjusted  intonation  of  the  diatonic  melody,  by  a  Garrick  or  a  Booth.  It  may 
perhaps  be  too  ludicrous  an  ilustration,  even  for  a  Note:  but  just  think  of 
that  reverentive  Anthem;  '  Before  Jehovah's  Awful  Throne,'  sung  by  u 
single  Soprano,  with  the  acomj)animcnt  of  a  fife  and  a  violin  ! 


322 


THE   EQUAL   WAVE   OF   THE  SECOND. 


I  have  refered  to  the  necesary  use  of  the  rapid  concrete,  on  short 
and  unacented  sylables,  in  the  diatonic  melody  ;  and  in  tlie  admi- 
rative  here  ikistrated ;  when  this  style  is  designed  to  be  impres- 
ively  deliberate,  there  may  be  a  slight  extension  in  the  time  of  the 
rapid  concrete.  If  cautiously  guarded  against  drawling  on  imu- 
table  sylables,  it  softens  the  contrast  between  the  slow  and  the 
rapid  quantities,  gives  a  varied  unity  to  the  vocal  curent,  and 
smoothly  extends  and  leads  the  concrete  towards  the  wave.  .  And 
this  under  the  impresive  subsonorous  fulnes  of  the  orotund,  will 
at  some  after  time,  give  to  the  then  instructed  Speaker  himself, 
and  his  enlightened  audience,  that  inteligent  satisfaction,  which 
must  surely  flow  from  the  analytic  and  esthetic  principles  of  an 
exalted  style  of  epic,  dramatic,  and  not  merely  a  church,  but  a 
God-with-Nature  adoring  elocution. 

I  am  left  so  alone  with  my  subject,  that  it  is  social  even  to  feign 
a  companion.  I  therefore  supose  the  Reader  may  with  me,  recolect, 
that  the  imediate  sucesion  of  the  rising  and  the  faling  ditone,  forms 
what  was  caled  the  phrase  of  Alternation.  When  this  is  employed 
in  a  curent  melody,  the  constant  variation  of  the  radical  pitch,  to- 
gether with  a  short  sylabic  time,  and  a  use  of  the  simple  concrete, 
broadly  distinguishes  its  efect,  from  that  of  a  long  quantity  and 
the  monotone,  in  the  preceding  example.  The  folowing  notation 
of  the  description  of  Abdiel's  encounter  with  Satan,  in  Milton's 
sixth  book,  will  ilustrate  the  character,  we  must  not  call  it  the 
expresion  of  the  alternate  melodial  phrase. 


So 


7 — ing,      &       no ble    stroke      he      lift — ed  high, 


44-^^4- 


Which   hung   not,      but     so      swift    with     tern pest      fell 


Y~trf~*~Vir^ 


THE   EQUAL   WAVE   OF   THE  SECOND.  323. 

On       the   proud     crest    of      ISa tun,        that        no     sight, 


gr^^-giz-v-jL ,  4  ^i 


^ 


Nor     mo tion      of      swift      th6t,     less    could    his    shield, 

4-^ _ 


a3ZI'Z*I'Z533: 


Such         ru in         in tor ccpt. 


4-4^ 


On  f'om])aring  this  with  the  preceding  diagram,  we  find  a  pre- 
dominance of  monotones,  in  tlie  former,  and  of  the  alternation  in 
the  later ;  the  line  of  the  monotone  in  the  former,  being  broken 
by  an  ociisional  ditone ;  and  the  alternation  in  the  later  by  an  oca- 
sional  monotone.  In  the  example  before  us  the  active  character 
of  the  description  asuraes  a  varying  radical  pitch,  suitable  to  the 
vigorous  ])liraseology  of  the  Poet.  Consistently,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  with  the  language,  and  with  the  rapid  energy  of  the  scene,  I 
liave  set  the  wider  interval  of  the  third,  only  on  four  sylables ;  and 
the  wave  of  the  second,  on  four :  nor  should  these  intonations  have 
more  than  a  limited  quantity.  The  Fourth  or  Feeble  form  of  the 
cadence  is  set  on  the  last  sylable  of  saying  :  the  phrase,  as  the 
sequel  to  an  antecedent  declaration,  being  slightly  terminative. 
All  the  rest  of  the  intervals  are  simple  rising  and  faling  rapid 
concretes,  and  are  well  acomodated  to  the  drift  of  the  descrip- 
tion.    The  ciirnest  purpose  of  the  action  does  not  alow  a  full  and 

*  The  three  early  editions  of  '  The  Philosophy  of  the  Human  Voice  '  have 
the  epithet  quick,  instead  of  swift  tlwt.  How  this  oversight  occurred  I  cannot 
tellj  yet  it  was  not  until  preparing  the  fourth,  and  coni])aring  our  examples 
with  the  originals,  that  the  error  was  discovered.  For  my  own  reading,  I 
might  draw  a  motive,  both  from  intonation  and  from  rhetoric,  why  I  regret 
the  discovery.     But  this  does  not  concern  the  criticism  or  taste  of  otiiers. 


324  THE   EQUAL   AVAVE   OF   THE   SECOND. 

reposing  cadence  on  intercept.  I  have  therefore  used  a  tripartite 
form,  and  given  the  first  two  constituents,  rising  concretes.  There 
is  a  wider  range  of  pitch  in  the  melody ;  for  tho  the  radicals  are 
still  proximate  in  their  sucessions,  their  course  embraces  a  greater 
extent  on  the  staff,  and  produces  a  lively  contrast  with  each 
other.  All  these  conditions  give  to  the  lines  before  us,  a  character 
very  diferent  from  that  of  the  former  example.  A  prevalence  of 
the  monotone  here,  might  perhaps  represent  the  dignified  courage, 
and  calm  security  of  an  agressor  confident  of  suces  ;  but  it  would 
be  misaplied  and  faded  coloring,  for  the  fictional  picture  of  huried 
watchfulnes  and  dreadful  expectation,  which  the  description  of 
this  descending  impetus  is  calculated  to  excite.  It  is  true,  the 
above  lines  are  only  descriptive  of  a  super-human  action.  But  it 
seems  to  be  a  rule  of  sympathy  in  such  cases,  that  he  who  de- 
scribes, should  himself,  in  his  verbal  picture  of  the  scene,  take-on 
to  a  degree,  the  state  of  mind,  which  he  aims  to  excite  in  others. 

The  former  of  the  above  ilustrations,  is  purely  in  the  diatonic 
melody :  and  tho  the  later  is  strictly  descriptive,  still  its  character 
either  calls  for,  or  admits  the  rising  and  faling  thirds  asigned  to  it ; 
at  the  same  time  it  afords  an  example  of  the  use  of  wider  inter- 
vals in  the  diatonic  current.  Others  may  tliinkj  still  wider  into- 
nations might  be  employed.  Let  it  be  as  they  wish.  I  here  propose 
to  set-forth  the  principles  of  an  art,  not  to  prevent  the  free-choice 
of  Taste  in  the  thotful  aplication  of  them.  In  any  case  however, 
a  diference  of  opinion  on  the  last  example  may  serve  to  show  how 
dificult  it  is,  nicely  to  divide  the  expresive,  from  the  non-expresive 
in  speech. 

What  is  here  said  of  the  use  of  the  direct  wave  of  the  second, 
in  ading  dignity,  reverence,  and  solemnity  to  a  diatonic  melody,  is 
also  true  of  its  inverted  form. 

I  am  not  awarej  the  double-equal  wave  of  the  second  has  a 
character  diferent  from  that  of  its  single  form,  except  what  may 
arise  from  extending  the  quantity  of  sylables.  An  unusual  pro- 
longation of  quantity  in  the  diatonic  melody,  instinctively  produces 
the  double  wave ;  for  the  voice  may  take  this  serpentine  course, 
thru  the  second,  without  producing  any  unj)leasant  snarl,  similar 
to  the  efect  of  the  double  wave  on  some  of  the  wider  intervals. 

There  is  what  we  called  a  Continued  wave,  or  a  progres  of  the 


! 


THE   EQUAL   WAVE   OF    THE  SECOND.  325 

line  of  contrary  flexures  beyond  the  term  of  three  constituents. 
It  is  only  on  the  time  of  an  equal  wave  of  the  second  in  a  diatonic 
mclodv,  and  of  a  semitone  in  the  cliromaticj  this  continued  exten- 
sion, if  at  all,  is  alowable.  Should  some  extraordinary  state  of 
reverence  or  other  solemnity  require  an  unusualy  long  quantity ; 
and  should  the  time  of  an  indefinite  sylable  not  be  exhausted,  when 
the  voice  has  pasod  over  the  three  constituents  of  the  double  wavej 
it  must  if  still  continued,  necesarily  be  caried-on  either  in  the  note 
of  song,  or  in  further  flexures  of  the  wave.  AVhen  it  takes  the 
course  of  the  flexures,  the  bad  efect  of  the  former  case  will  be 
avoided ;  nor  will  this  multiplied  repetition  of  the  rise  and  fall, 
by  this  small  interval  of  a  tone,  produce  any  positive  or  unpleasant 
impresion.* 

I  have  ascribed  an  importance  to  the  subject  of  this  section, 
because  it  is  the  foundation  of  a  very  general  principle  in  elocution. 
The  Reader  will  now  perhaps  admit  the  propriety  of  our  distinc- 
tion l)ctwecn  the  efect  of  a  narrative  melody  formed  by  a  varied 
rise  and  fall  of  the  voice  thru  the  interval  of  a  tonej  and  that 
})roduced  by  the  ocasional  introduction  of  other  and  wider  inter- 
vals, constituting  what  was  distinctly  caled  Expresion.  Very  few 
speakers  are  able  to  execute  this  plain  melody,  in  the  beautiful 
simjjlicity  of  its  diatonic  construction.  Some  constantly  execute 
their  current,  in  the  simple  rise  of  a  third,  a  fifth,  or  a  semitone, 
or  give  every  emphatic  sylable  in  an  impresive  form  of  their 
waves.  Perhaps  these  faults  proce<le  from  an  ambitious  atcmpt  to 
efect  a  greater  degree  of  dignified  expresion,  or  variety  in  the  sira- 
])le  melody,  than  the  speaker  is  able  to  acomplish  by  the  second 
alone.     In  this  atempt  he  employs  some  of  the  wide  and  excep- 

*  It  may  be  asked  here,  wliy.  if  the  voice  cnn  be  prolonged  on  u  continued 
wavcj  slioiild  the  length  of  Kylal)les,  as  slated  in  our  fourth  section,  be  re- 
stricted ?  The  extreme  prolongutitm,  in  the  above  case,  is  made  on  a  single 
tonic  or  subtonic  cb-mcnt ;  and  we  said  in  the  same  section,  that  a  sylable 
consisting  of  a  single  tonic  might  be  indefinite!}-  prolonged;  whereas  proper 
sylables  are  the  product  of  certain  comlnnations  of  the  elements;  and  tliese  by 
their  position,  in  our  language,  arrest  the  sylabic  impulse.  The  sylables  all 
and  ame  might  be  continued  during  the  whole  term  of  expiration  ;  but  it 
would  be  on  one  alone,  of  their  respective  elements;  and  such  instances  are 
not  embraced  in  the  general  law  of  sylabic  combination,  or  are  only  exceptions 
to  it. 


326  THE   EQUAL   WAVE   OF   THE   SECOND. 

tional  intervals,  and  produces  a  false  and  monotonous  intonation  ; 
for  the  remarkable  character  of  the  expressive  intervals  cannot  be 
unduly  repeated,  without  ofending  a  well  instructed  ear.  Yet  the 
simple  and  unobtrusive  second,  may  be  continuously  used  without 
producing  a  like  disagreeable  uniformity ;  changes  of  the  simple 
rising  and  faling  second^  of  the  direct  and  inverted  equal  wave 
of  this  interval,  together  with  a  judicious  use  of  time,  and  radical 
pitch,  afording  suficient  variety  to  the  diatonic  melody,  without 
destroying  its  characteristic  plaines. 

It  is  the  mental  grandeur  represented  in  the  first  of  the  two 
preceding  diagrams,  that  under  the  Old  Elocution,  would  make 
a  reader,  in  confounding  words  with  things,  endeavor  to  expres 
that  grandeur,  by  what  he  might  choose  to  call  grandeur  of  voice; 
and  by  an  improper  use  of  intervals  of  great  extent,  for  the  repre- 
sentation of  greatnes  of  thot  and  pasion,  to  become  pompous  and 
afected.  But  the  new  School  of  Nature  tells  him  that  grandeur 
in  Elocution,  is  signified,  like  grandeur  in  all  other  artsj  by  a 
Unity,  which  must  b^  both  Great,  and  Uncomon. 

Unity,  which  of  itself  is  a  primary  esential  of  grandeur,  is 
denoted  in  the  voice,  by  a  continuation  of  simple  concretes  and 
waves  under  limited  intervals;  the  melody  being  varied  so  far 
only,  as  not  to  destroy  the  pervading  character  of  a  conected 
whole. 

Greatnes  of  vocal  Unity  is  denoted  by  gravity  of  pitch,  exten- 
sion of  quantity,  the  fulnes  of  an  orotund  vocality,  and  by  a 
deliberate  and  distinct  articulation. 

An  Uncomon  vocal  Unity  is  shown  by  a  general  use  of  an  ele- 
vated vocal  style,  whether  of  grandeur  or  elegance,  but  unknown 
in  the  habits  of  the  popular  mind  and  car. 

All  these  vocal  signs,  characterize  a  deliberate,  dignified,  and 
self-posesed  execution  of  that  form  of  Diatonic  Melody,  which, 
acording  to  our  Divisions,  inexact  as  they  may  be,  I  call  the 
revercntive  or  admirative  drift ;  intermediate  between  the  purely 
Thotive  and  the  Passionative.  And  here  we  may  remark,  of 
every  character  of  intonation,  as  of  every  style  of  Writing ;  that 
it  is  not  a  general  use  of  wide  and  winding  intervals  in  one  case, 
and  of  strange  and  high-sounding  words,  in  the  other;  but  of 
apropriate  intervals  for  states  of  mind  iu  the  former,  and  of  'proper 


THE   EQUAL    WAVE   OF   THE   SECOND.  327 

words  in  their  proper  places'  in  the  later j  which  respectively  ])ro- 
duces  the  purity,  propriety,  precision,  truth,  dignity,  force,  freedom 
from  afcctation,  and  the  like  iinprcsive  and  satisfactory  efcct  in 
each.  The  Englisli  Cluirch-service  iuniishcs,  ocasions  for  the  use 
of  the  most  deliberate,  dignified,  and  solemn  character  of  the 
speaking  voice.  The  gravely  thotive  and  reverentive  state  of 
mind,  in  its  exalted  subject ;  the  brevity  of  style,  so  esential  to 
the  representation  of  that  thot  and  reverence ;  with  the  unafected, 
yet  impresive  structure  of  its  Saxon-worded  rythmusj  all  contrib- 
ute to  a  prevailing  and  serious  unity,  to  a  simple  grandeur  of  uter- 
ance,  altogether  undisturbed  by  pasion,  and  to  a  dignified  Drift, 
never  jjerhaps  found  in  any  other  narative,  directive,  and  supliant 
form  of  composition.     Let  us  take  its  solemn  opening. 

Tho       Lord      is        in       his     ho ly      tein — pie.  T.ct 


^^     ^     ^^  ^^   ^^/   ^ 


^ 


all         the      oarth 

k(>ei 

-)     si — 

-lence 

bp- 

—fore 

him. 

€\  4  4 

4 

«-^ 

ar\ 

^ 

ir> 

•  )     •       •                                w                     V            « 

The  curent  of  this  notation  is  diatonic,  except,  aZ?,  which  has 
the  unequal-direct  wave  of  the  second  and  third,  or  it  might  be 
the  fifth.  It  is  seen  that  some  of  the  short  and  unacented  sylables 
have  a  moderate  length  of  wave ;  giving  to  the  whole,  the  fulest 
degree  of  dignified  prolongation :  in  this  extension,  however,  the 
Reader  must  use  his  taste  and  discretion,  to  prevent  awkwardnes 
or  afcctation.  Of  the  two  sentences,  the  feeble  cadence  is  set  at 
the  first,  and  the  Full,  closes  the  last. 

Xo  one  without  inquiry  on  this  subject,  can  be  aware  of  the  un- 
pretending yet  dignified  force,  the  diversified  sucesion,  and  severe 
simplicity  of  the  diatonic  melody,  when  conducted  on  the  principles 
of  the  radical  change,  formerly  laid  <lown  ;  and  varied  by  the  apro- 
priate  disposition  of  the  single  rise  and  lull,  the  direct  and  inverted 
wave,  the  degrees  of  quantity,  and  certain  forms  of  stres  to  be  de- 
scribed in  a  future  section.     Upon  the  vocal  level,  so  to  sjjeak,  of 


328  THE    EQUAL   WAVE   OF    THE   SEMITONE. 

this  melody,  the  ocasional  expresion  of  the  wider  intervals  comes 
with  all  the  influence  that  variety  of  impulse  and  measurable  con- 
trast must  necesarily  produce.  Whereas  he  who  is  constantly  deal- 
ing-out his  semitones,  thirds,  fifths,  and  octaves,  alows  no  repose 
to  the  ear ;  and  when  the  real  call  for  their  expresion  ocurs,  both 
his  ear  and  mind  are  unable  to  perceve  their  apropriate  meaning, 
and  atractive  force. 


SECTION  XXX. 

Of  the  Equal   Wave  of  the  Semitone. 

The  chromatic  melody  was  formerly  described  as  a  succesion 
of  radical  and  vanishing  semitonesj  and  it  was  even  then  stated, 
that  a  continuation  of  the  risino;  into  the  falino-  interval  is  used 
for  repeating  the  plaintive  impression  of  the  simple  concrete,  and 
for  ading  length  to  the  quantity  of  sylables.  This  wave  is  re- 
markably distinguished  by  its  peculiar  and  atractive  expresion. 
Its  direct,  inverted,  and  double  forms  have  necesarily,  by  repe- 
tition of  the  interval,  greater  plaintivenes  and  dignity  than  the 
simple  rise ;  and  at  the  same  time  furnish  means  for  diversifying 
the  curent  melody. 

A  mingling  of  the  reverse  forms  of  the  wave  is  employed  in 
the  chromatic  melody ;  for  the  continued  repetition  of  this  re- 
markable interval,  and  the  frequent  ocurrence  of  the  })hrase  of 
the  monotone,  make  it  desirable  to  vary  the  imprcsion  of  the 
melody,  without  destroying  the  esential  character  of  its  plaintive 
constituents.  This  is  acomplishcd,  if  I  am  not  over-nice  in  the 
distinction,  by  an  apropriate  use  of  the  direct  and  inverted  wave ; 
these  contrary  movements  having  a  slight  diference,  perceptible 
to  me  at  least,  on  comparative  trial :  for  the  efect  of  the  simple 
rising  interval  being  diferent  from  that  of  the  faling,  the  varied 
final  constituent  gives,  tho  faintly,  its  character,  respectively  to 
the  reverse  forms  of  the  semitonic  wave.  It  is  to  be  observed 
howeverj  the  diference  between  the  direct  and  the  inverted  waves 


THE   EQUAL   WAVE   OF   THE  SEMITO^•E.  329 

of  tlie  wificr  intervals  is  cxprcsivcly  niarkecV;  yet  tliat  between  the 
direct  and  the  inverted  waves  both  of  tiic  tone  and  of  the  semitone, 
contributes  only  slightly  to  vary  their  respective  melodies. 

On  the  subject  of  this  and  the  preceding  section,  it  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  whenever  a  good  reader  expresively  prolongs  the 
quantity  of  his  sylables,  and  surely  no  one  can  read  well  without 
this  use  of  quantity,  he  does  instinctively  employ  these  waves,  in 
all  deliberate  and  solemn  uterance ;  whereas,  his  voice  asumes  the 
simple  rise  and  fall  of  these  intervals,  without  the  continuous 
flexure,  in  delivering  those  gayer  and  more  energetic  states  of 
mind  that  naturaly  employ  a  shorter  time  of  sylables,  and  a  more 
rapid  j)ronunciation. 

If  these  are  the  spontaneous  and  satisfactory  eforts  of  the  voice, 
on  two  such  important  points,  it  may  be  askedj  why  we  should 
labor,  so  deeply  in  search  of  principles,  that  brought  into  practice, 
would  be  no  more  than  the  fulfilment  of  the  instinct  of  speech. 
I  have  said,  these  points  of  intonation  are  acomplished  by  a  Good 
Readerj  if  there  can  be  a  good  or  finished  Reader,  without  the 
educative  means  of  sciencej  one  to  whom  nature  has  given  a 
mental  perception  to  asume  the  thot  and  pasion  of  an  author,  and 
the  vocal  power  to  represent  them  with  propriety ;  by  one  who, 
when  he  feels  the  uneasines  of  eror,  will  give  even  painful  industry 
for  its  corection ;  and  who,  in  his  self-directed  labors,  is  instinctively 
folowing  the  order,  and  cfecting  much  of  the  purpose  of  scientific 
analysis  and  rule. 

But  how  shall  he  find  out,  or  preserve  his  way,  who  has  not 
this  native  'grace'  of  improvement;  who  searches  after  right, 
without  knowing  what  is  wrong ;  and  who  copies  both  the  faults 
and  merits  of  an  individual  example,  instead  of  reaching  forth, 
under  the  direction  of  broad-founded  precept,  to  gather  excelence 
by  discriminative  selection.  It  is  to  such  a  person,  a  develop- 
ment of  the  constituents  of  speech  becomes  indispensable.  To 
him  the  fulnes  of  history,  the  strictnes  of  definition,  and  the 
difusive  light  of  system,  aford  those  aids,  whic^h  the  eagle-eye  of 
observation,  and  the  sure-winged  thrift  of  a  well-provided  and 
unincumbered  intclect,  in  bearing  itself  from  instinct,  up  towards 
science,  may  not  escntially  require. 

22 


330  THE   WAVE   OF   UNEQUAL   INTERVALS. 

SECTION  XXXI. 

Of  the    Wave  of  Unequal  Intervals. 

This  term  denotes  a  vocal  movement,  by  contrary  flexures,  with 
constituents  of  cliferent  extent.  If  the  voice  rises  by  a  second, 
and  then  in  continuation  falls  thru  a  third ;  or  falls  thru  a  given 
interval  and  rises  by  a  diferent  one,  it  is  caled  the  Unequal  Wave. 

It  will  at  once  be  percevedj  there  is  a  direct  and  an  inverted,  a 
single  and  a  double  form  of  this  wave ;  but  a  consideration  of  the 
details  of  the  several  forms,  as  named  in  the  Second  Tabular  view 
would  be  practicaly  useles  except  their  respective  expresions  could 
be  definitely  asigned.  But  the  recognized  varieties  of  expresion 
of  this  unequal  wave  bear  a  very  small  proportion  to  its  multiplied 
species.  It  embraces  wonder,  positivenes,  and  interogation,  in 
diferent  degrees,  acording  to  the  extent  of  the  interval  and  the 
direction  of  its  last  constituent.  I  cannot  however,  j)articularly 
ascribe  to  the  forms  of  this  wave,  any  expresion,  except  that  of 
strongly  marked  scorn,  and  other  mental  states  of  like  character 
and  force.  These  states  are  in  a  slight  degree  conveyed  by  the 
curling  of  the  Equal  wave,  and  even  by  the  simple  rising,  and 
falling  fifth,  and  octave,  when  much  stres,  or  an  aspiration  is  laid 
upon  their  vanishing  extremes ;  still  the  most  impresive  sign  of 
(iontempt,  and  of  other  related  states,  consists  in  a  wide  variation 
of  the  constituent  intervals  of  the  wave ;  especialy  if  the  wave  is 
double,  with  the  intonation  strongly  aspirated,  or  with  what  shall 
be  described  hereafter,  as  the  Gutural  Vibration,  on  its  final  con- 
crete. 

This  wave  of  unequal  intervals  is  employed  for  the  stronger, 
and  gencraly  exageratcd  })asions  of  the  drama,  and  in  the  })eevi.sh- 
nes,  and  coloquial  cant  of  comon  life;  but  it  should  be  rarely  used 
in  the  moderate  temper  of  the  greater  part  of  elevated  composition. 
It  has  a  vulgar  earncstnes,  and  a  quaint  familiarity,  that  render  it 
adverse  to  a  grave  or  graceful  design  of  speech. 

AVhen  the  ex])reHion  of  scorn  is  required  on  an  ocasional  word, 
in  a  curent  melody  of  dignified  or  solenui  discourse,  it  is  under 


THE   WAVK   OF    UNEQUAL   INTERVALS.  331 

the  (lircction  of  propriety  and  tiv^te,  <;enenily  made  by  stres  and 
:u;piration,  on  the  f^iinple  rise  or  fall  of  the  third  or  fifth  ;  for  tliis 
conveys  a  more  moderate  degree  of  the  pasion  ;  at  furthest,  the 
exprcsion  is  not  to  be  eariwl  lK>yond  the  aspirated  structure  of  the 
single-equal  wave. 

Tliere  is  a  peculiar  expresion  of  the  unequal  wave,  described  in 
the  section  on  Chromatic  melody,  forming  an  exception  to  the 
general  character  of  scorn,  above  ascribed  to  it.  I  refer  to  its  em- 
ployment for  chromatic  interogation.  In  this  case  it  is  necesary  to 
give,  on  the  same  sylable,  both  a  plaintive  and  an  interogative 
expresion ;  and  this  can  be  acompli.shed,  only  by  subjoining  to  the 
last  constituent  of  the  equal-direct  wave  of  the  semitone,  or  to  the 
last  constituent  of  its  double-inverted  form,  the  rise  of  the  third, 
or  fifth,  or  octave.  But  the  double  and  other  forms  of  the  unequal 
wave,  cease  to  be  expresive  of  scorn,  by  withholding  the  aspiration, 
and  the  gutural  vibration  from  their  last  constituent. 

The  unequal  wave  may  form  the  cadence  of  a  chromatic  melody, 
on  one  sylable.  Here  the  voice  rises  by  the  interval  of  a  semitone, 
and  then  finally  descends  concretely  a  third  or  fifth.  This  intona- 
tion however,  from  its  peculiar  expresion,  is  unsuitable  to  the 
repose  required  in  the  cadence :  for  it  expreses,  particularly  if  en- 
forced by  stres,  plaintive  or  querulous  surprise  :  and  consequently, 
is  admisible  on  the  last  long  quantity  of  a  chromatic  sentence,  only 
when  it  conveys  this  state  of  mind.  Should  the  stres  be  increased 
with  an  aspirated  close,  it  would  give  the  expresion  of  querulous 
scorn. 

As  all  the  forms  of  the  wave  especialy  require  sylables  of  in- 
definite time,  it  is  obvious,  why  long  quantities  are  necesary  in 
giving  full  dignity  to  speech,  for  these  alone  are  capable  of  bear- 
ing the  wave ;  dignity  of  expresion  being  an  efect  of  the  wave  of 
wider  intervals,  on  gravely  emphatic  words,  and  of  the  wave  of 
the  second  and  semitone,  in  the  respective  curents  of  the  diatonic 
and  chromatic  mekxly.  AVith  the  light  of  this  principle,  the 
Header  may  perceve  on  what  defensible  ground,  it  was  formerly 
maintained,  that  the  majestic  movement  of  the  first  line  of  the 
second  book  of  Paradise  Lost,  is  shocked  by  the  limited  and 
insuficient  quantity  of  the  word  state. 

Iligh  on  a  throne  of  Koyal  aiaie  which  far 


332  THE   WAVE   OF   UNEQUAL   INTERVALS. 

All  the  acented  sylables  of  this  line,  except  statey  are  of  indefi- 
nite time,  and  will  bear  the  equal  wave  of  the  second.  The 
same  is  true  of  nearly  all  the  sylables  in  the  three  suceding  lines 
of  the  text :  and  with  the  exception  here  noted,  the  whole  m  ad- 
mirably fitted,  by  its  time,  for  the  vocal  representation  of  this 
magnificent  description,  by  the  Poet  of  unsurpased  Sublimity. 

From  inatention  to  this  subject  of  quantity,  it  often  hapens  that 
poets  use  sylables  of  imutable  time,  in  emphatic  places  that  call 
for  the  expresion  of  the  wave.  The  folowing  example,  cited  in 
the  eleventh  section,  is  here  further  explained. 

And  practis'd  distances  to  cringe,  not  jlght. 

The  scornful  exultation,  conveyed  by  the  words  not  fight,  requires 
a  form  of  the  unequal  wave  on  each ;  but  from  the  limitation  of 
their  quantity,  this  movement  cannot  be  employed,  without  a 
remarkable  departure  from  corect  jjronunciation. 

In  speaking  of  the  various  ascending  and  descendmg  concrete 
intervals,  it  was  shown  that  a  similar,  tho  diminished  efect  of  into- 
nation is  produced  by  the  leap  or  change  of  the  'voice,  from  the 
radical  line  of  a  concrete,  to  the  pitch  of  its  vanish,  without  pasing 
thru  the  intermediate  space.  The  wave  being  only  a  junction  of 
the  concretes  of  its  constituentsj  it  might  be  suposed  that  some 
expresion  analogous  to  that  of  a  concrete  wave,  could  be  produced 
by  radical  changes  to  the  extremes  of  its  flexures.  Such  a  cor- 
espondence  may  be  efected  on  some  of  the  forms  of  the  wave.  In 
the  case  of  the  imutable  words  not  fight,  an  aproximation  may  be 
made  towards  the  required  expresion  of  the  continuous  concrete,  by 
giving  not,  at  a  discrete  fifth  above  the  line  of  the  curent  melody ; 
tlien  returning  discretely  to  that  line  on  fight ;  and  finaly,  rising  on 
fight,  from  that  line,  with  the  ra])id  concrete  of  a  third  ;  thereby 
producing  a  kind  of  discrete  imitation  of  the  direct-double-unequal 
concrete  wave  of  the  fifth  and  third.  For  if  -sve  supose  tlie  radi- 
cal of  cringe,  to  be  on  a  line,  with  the  curent  melody;  and  its  con- 
crete to  be  caried  from  that  radical  i)hu'e,  tiiru  the  points  of  the 
rising  and  the  faling  discrete  fifth  above  mentioned,  it  will,  with  a 
final  raj)id  vanish  of  the  third,  form  such  a  wave.  This  discrete 
intonation  by  a  wider  interval,  comes  much  nearer  to  the  expresion 


THE   WAVK   OF   UNEQUAL   INTERVAL?.  333 

of  contempt,  designed  by  the  exultation  of  Satan,  than  can  posibly 
be  reached  on  the  triad  of  the  cadence,  to  which  the  voice  is  prone, 
in  this  case,  from  the  short  time  of  the  syhibles,  and  their  position 
at  the  close  of  a  sentence. 

Another  example,  given  in  the  eleventh  section,  may  still  fur- 
ther ilustnite  this  design  to  convey  by  radical  changes,  in  a  modi- 
fied degree,  the  expresion  of  a  wave  of  equal  intervals,  when  a 
limited  sylabic  time,  renders  its  continuous  or  concrete  movement 
impracticable. 

Faithful  to  whom,     To  thy  rebelious  crew? 
Army  of  Fiends,  jit  body  to  Jit  head. 

The  words  here  marked  in  italics,  convey  ironical  admiration, 
contempt,  and  scorn,  and  not  alowing  the  concrete  movement, 
may  be  intonated  by  an  alternate  skip  of  radical  pitch  thru  the 
rise  and  fall  of  a  fifth.  With  /?/  on  the  line  of  the  curent  melody, 
take  bod,  by  radical  skip,  a  fifth  above  ^f;  y  again  at  the  curent 
line,  a  fifth  below  bod  ;  to,  also  on  the  curent  line ;  jit  a  fifth  above 
this  last ;  and  finaly  head  a  fifth  below,  at  the  curent  line  :  observ- 
ing, that  with  the  radical  skips,  there  is  still  a  feeble  and  rapid 
do\vaiward  concrete  of  the  same  interval,  on  all  the  sylables.  I 
offer  in  the  foloM'ing  diagram,  two  notations;  one,  of  what  we 
called  a  discrete  imitation  of  the  concrete  wave  proposed  for  the 
Poet's  phrase  ;  another,  with  the  same  number  of  words  taken,  as 
well  as  I  could  compose  them,  to  represent  something  like  the  char- 
acter of  his  short-timed  phraseology ;  and  with  suficient  quantity 
to  bear  the  concrete,  and  the  wave. 

Fit       bod — y       to       fit   head.     Well   paired  with   all    thy     sins! 


jfc*: 


—^^^ \mm^ L_A L 


The  First  of  these  notations  is  described  above :  tho  here  the 
rapid  downward  concrete  of  the  third  is,  by  a  mistiike,  put  for  the 
fifth.  In  the  Second,  the  word  well  has  the  inverted  wave  of  the 
fifth,  with  its  rising  constituent,  expresive  of  a  sert  of  admiration, 
ironical  it  must  be,  at  Satan's  preposterous  claims  to  an  honorable 


334  THE    WAVE    OF    UNEQUAL    INTERVALS. 

faithfulnes.  I  say  nothing  of  a  slight  tremor  on  this  rising  con- 
stituent, to  show  tlie  exulting  scorn  of  Gabriel j  nor  of  any  form 
or  degree  of  vocality  and  stres,  for  the  impresive  display  of  the 
whole  phrase.  After  the  lighter  sneer  has  been  intimated,  the 
rest  of  the  words  convey  a  positive  asurance  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker,  of  the  truth  of  the  contemjjtuous  comparison,  and  should 
therefore  have  the  conclusive  intonation  of  the  downward  inter- 
vals. Paired  has  the  faling  fifth ;  loith,  the  feeble  and  faling 
rapid  concrete  of  a  third,  on  the  line  of  the  curent  melody ;  all,  a 
positive  downward  fifth,  from  the  hight  of  that  interval  above  the 
curent ;  thy,  a  direct  unequal  wave  of  the  second  and  third ;  and 
sins,  a  feeble  cadence  to  close  the  phrase.  There  is  in  all  this,  but 
the  plain  inteligible  up  and  down  of  the  voice  without  asistance 
from  any  ocult  quality,  emanating  from  that  'soul'  of  the  Elocu- 
tionist, which  has  never  yet  been  seen,  scented,  touched,  tasted 
nor  heard.  In  the  first  of  these  ways  only,  by  marking  the  ex- 
tremes of  those  intervals,  which,  upon  extended  sylabic  quantity 
would  be  given  as  a  wave,  can  that  open  eye  of  wonder,  and  snarl- 
ing of  scorn,  be  substitutively  executed.  Yet  even  with  every 
asistance  from  the  radical  skip,  a  reader,  if  he  poseses  the  power 
of  an  educated  elocution,  must  still  find  it  vexatiously  restrained 
within  these  words. 

We  have  had  ocasion  to  aply  the  term  sim])le  to  the  unflexed 
concrete,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  wave.  The  above  mode  of 
intonation  on  imutable  sylables  is  an  example  of  what  we  calcd  a 
discrete  com])ared  with  a  concrete  wave. 

It  has  been  shown,  that  in  the  purposes  of  speech,  two  forms 
of  the  simple  concrete,  the  slow  and  the  rapid,  are  respectively 
required  for  long  and  short  quantities.  It  was  early  a  question 
with  me,  whether  a  rapid  movement,  thru  the  7cave,  is  perceptible 
on  an  imutable  sylable.  Time  and  motion  together  with  mater, 
are  the  great  agents,  in  perpetual  creation ;  and  in  their  labors, 
strive  at  the  greatest  and  the  least ;  but  are  still  respectively  as 
untraceable  in  their  minutenes,  as  ilimitable  in  their  broad  e>vten- 
sion.  There  is  then  nothing  inconsistent  with  their  functions,  in 
suposing  that  an  instantaneous  and  jierfoct  movement  of  the  wave, 
may  be  executed  on  the  shortest  sylabic  quantity.  Yet  to  me  it  is 
not  obvious:  and  tho  I  would  not,  with  the  scholastic  axiom,  say; 


RECAPITULATING   VIEW   OF   MELODY.  335 

there  is  no  difference  between  the  imperceptible,  and  tlie  '  non- 
existent;' still,  by  inference,  the  wave  that  cannot  be  heard, 
must  be  useles  in  speech.  I  leave  the  question  therefore,  not  for 
the  endles  disputes,  but  for  the  observation,  and  for  the  determinate 
Christian  'yea  or  nay'  of  others. 

Let  me  here  recall  the  atention  of  the  Reader  to  the  subject 
of  sylabication.  It  was  shown,  that  the  construction  of  sylables 
is  governed  by  the  radical  and  vanishing  movement;  that  the 
course  of  sylabic  sound  is  limited  by  the  extent  of  the  upward 
and  downward  concrete;  and  further  stated  that  the  prolonged  and 
perfect  sylable  is  practicable  upon  another  form  of  pitch.  AVe 
are  now  prepared  to  hear  that  the  unbroken  curent  of  tiie  s]>eak- 
ing  voice,  may  be  carried  through  the  contrary  flexures  of  the 
wave,  on  tonic  and  subtonic  elements,  without  destroying  that 
singlenes  of  impresion  which  forms  one  of  the  characteristics  of 
a  sylable. 

This  may  be  briefly  explained  by  what  was  said  on  the  subject 
of  the  alphabetic  elements.  The  wave  is  a  continuous  sound,  and 
consequently  afords  no  oportunity  in  its  course,  for  the  outset  of  a 
new  radical,  which,  with  its  folowing  vanish  would  produce  another 
sylable.  And  it  was  shown  that  an  interuption  of  the  concrete, 
whether  made  designedly  by  pause,  or  necesarily  by  the  ocurence 
of  an  abrupt  or  an  atonic  element,  is  unavoidably  the  end  of  one 
sylable,  and  the  preface  to  the  begining  of  another. 


After  the  preceding  description,  of  the  individual  functions  of 
the  speaking  voice,  we  may  take  a  more  comprehensive  view  of 
the  subject,  by  RecajMtulating  the  acount  of  these  functions,  in  the 
conected  curent  of  discourse ;  and  thereby  show  them  in  the  joined 
relations  of  synthesis,  as  they  have  been  shown,  in  the  separate 
individuality  of  decomposition. 

We  speak  with  two  purposes.  First,  to  comunicate  thots,  apart 
from  pasion.  And  Second,  to  expres  thot  with  pasion.  Acording 
to  that  diference,  the  voice  should  have  a  diferent  set  of  signs,  for 
each  of  these  purposes :  and  this,  upon  inquiry,  is  found  to  be  the 


336  RECAPITULATING   VIEW  OF   MELODY. 

case.  As  it  is  dificult,  if  not  imposible,  to  draw  a  strictly  dividing 
line  between  simple  thots,  and  what  are  caled  pasions ;  so  the  vocal 
signs,  severaly  representing  them,  cannot  be  clearly  divided,  in 
arangement.  I  have  however,  in  previous  parts  of  this  essay, 
marked  out  a  practical  distinction,  founded  on  the  more  obvious 
diference  of  the  cases.  For  the  plain  narative  of  unexcited  thot, 
we  employ  the  Diatonic  melody. 

This  melody  consists  of  the  simple  concrete  rise  of  a  second  or 
tone,  varied  by  the  simple  downward  concrete  of  the  same  interval ; 
of  a  radical  pitch  changing  by  its  several  diatonic  phrases;  with 
an  ocasional  emphasis  of  force  or  abruptnes,  as  the  meaning  may 
require;  and  a  termination  of  the  melody  by  the  descent  of  the 
cadence.  The  grace  and  refinement  of  speech  in  this  case  are 
largely  dependent  on  that  equable-concrete  structure  of  the  radical 
and  vanish,  which  displays  a  full  and  well-marked  opening  of  the 
concrete,  and  a  gradual  diminution  of  its  force.  These  are  the 
constituents  employed,  witli  their  arangement,  for  narative,  and 
plain  description  :  and  generaly,  if  such  subjects,  as  the  definitions 
of  astronomy,  title-deeds  of  property,  and  gazete  advertisements, 
are  not  read  for  the  most  part,  in  this  thotive  style  of  intonation, 
the  efect  will  be  unsuitable  to  their  pasionles  meaning. 

In  the  above  described  condition,  or  first  form  of  the  diatonic 
melody,  the  movement  is  suposed  to  be  with  a  triping  step  and  a 
short  quantity.  If  however,  the  state  of  mind  should  be  more 
serious  and  composed^  an  increase  of  quantity  in  the  acented 
sylables,  together  with  a  general  slownes  of  uterance  Avill  be 
asumed :  the  concrete  still  continuing  in  its  simple  rise  or  fall : 
constituting  another  condition  of  the  melody,  tho  still  purely 
thotive  or  diatonic. 

Should  this  deliberate  state  be  further  raised  into  solemn  dignity, 
the  melody  will  asume,  on  extendible  and  emphatic  words,  the  use 
of  the  direct  and  inverted  wave  of  tho  second,  together  with  an 
ocasional  rising  or  faling  third  or  fiftii  or  their  waves,  and  some 
moderately  cxpresive  form  of  the  other  modes.  Here  then,  the 
thotive  and  the  pasionative  characters  meet,  and  jiroducc  the  rev- 
crcntivo  or  admirative  style.  Much  of  the  Church-service  should 
have  this  })lain  and  yet  remarkable  intonation.  It  conveys  in  full 
the  mcntid  state  of  august  composure,  solemnity  and  veneration. 


RECAPITUL.ATING    VIEW    OF   MELODY.  337 

A  proi^cr  management  of  the  contrary  courses  of  its  waves,  to- 
gether with  an  ocasional  radical  skip,  of  a  third  or  fifth  on  imut- 
able  sylables,  gives  suficient  variety  to  the  melody  ;  while  it  avoids 
tlie  unusual  force  of  more  impresive  intervals,  that  would  overrule 
the  self-posesed  composure  and  grave  simplicity  of  this  unobtrusive 
uteranco.  This  form  of  melody  includes  the  means  for  ])roducing 
that  graceful  dignity  of  voice,  which  is  in  vain  ateniptcd  by  the 
loud-mouthed  breadth  of  ohs  and  aws ;  with  strong  percussive 
accents  and  long  pausesj  the  waves  of  wider  intervalsj  and  that 
hearties  afectiition  which  pases  without  motive  or  rule,  in  unex- 
pecte<l  transition  from  the  strongest  cushion-beating  emphasis,  or 
from  stage  vociferation,  to  the  atempted  significancy  of  a  myste- 
rious whisper. 

The  melody  of  speech  is  here  represented  a.s  made-up  exclusively 
of  the  concrete  second  or  tone,  severaly,  under  a  short  and  a 
longer  quantity,  in  the  purely  thotive  diatonic ;  and  again  of  the 
waves  of  the  second,  with  the  ocasional  use  of  some  other  forms 
of  voice,  in  the  Reverentive ;  in  any  case,  however,  we  are  to 
consider  the  diatonic  melody  as  the  general  ground,  on  which  the 
forms  of  all  the  modes  of  intonation,  time,  quality,  abruptnes,  and 
force,  are  to  be  employed  for  the  higher  degrees  of  emphasis  and 
expresion.  And  this  brings  us  to  the  division  properly  called 
Pas  io  native. 

This  pa.sionative  style  expreses  the  most  vivid  and  energetic 
state  of  mind,  comonly  caled  Pasion,  under  all  its  degrees,  from 
the  reverentive  to  that  of  the  highest  mental  excitement.  Its 
signs  are  taken  from  the  most  impresive  forms  of  the  five  modes 
of  the  voice.  These  impresive  signs  are  only  aplied  ocasionaly  to 
emphatic  words  and  phrases ;  and  not  so  generaly  as  the  second  in 
the  diatonic  curent ;  tho  even  this  is  frequently  broken  by  some 
expresive  interval^  showing,  what  has  more  than  once  been  stated, 
that  we  cannot  draw  a  strict  line  of  separation  between  the  inter- 
mingling styles  of  melody.  It  will  be  learned  in  a  section  on 
the  Drift  of  the  voice,  to  what  extent,  phrases  and  sentences  of 
expresive  intervals  may  be  introduced. 

The  distinction  between  thotive  or  diatonic,  and  [)a.sionative 
speech  is  of  such  ruling  influence,  that  we  may  again  draw  par- 
ticular atention  to  it. 


338  RECAPITULATING    VIEW   OF    MELODY. 

In  the  act  of  Reading  and  Speaking,  there  has  been,  with  the 
greater  part  of  us,  so  promiscuous  a  mingling  of  all  the  forms 
and  varieties  of  the  modes  of  the  voice,  without  regard  to  what 
we  now  know  to  be  a  natural  and  necesary  distinction  between 
the  thotive  and  the  pasionative  states  of  mind,  and  between  the 
signs  which  respectively  denote  themj  that  it  is  dificult,  at  first, 
not  only  to  perceve  the  diference  of  these  two  sets  of  signs,  but 
even  to  bring  the  mind  to  alow,  there  can  or  ought  to  be  this 
apropriate  distinction.  When  however,  atention  is  once  awakened 
by  clasification  and  nomenclature,  the  diference  becomes  marked 
and  habitual  with  an  instructed  ear.  But  how  is  this  to  be  recoo-- 
nized  by  him  who  has  not  the  oportunity  of  being  directly  taught 
the  diference  in  the  two  cases  ?  It  may  be  done  indirectly,  under 
the  usual  perceptions  of  his  ear.  Certainly,  no  one  Avho  has  given 
the  least  atention  to  the  elocution  of  the  Stage j  or  to  any  other 
elocution,  and  even  to  conversationj  can  have  failed  to  perceve 
the  diference,  tho  he  never  named  it,  between  a  deliberate,  grave, 
and  dignified  uterance,  and  one  of  a  plaintive,  querulous,  interog- 
ative,  or  lively  character.  The  former  is  the  narative,  diatonic,  or 
thotive,  and  the  latter,  the  reverentive  or  ]>asionative  style.  Let 
the  pupil  then  imitate  these  so  widely  diferent  styles  of  speech, 
until  they  become  familiar  to  his  ear,  and  under  the  discriminative 
comand  of  his  voice ;  and  with  a  knowledge  of  the  intervals  of  the 
scale,  he  will  perceve,  that  the  narative,  thotive,  and  dignified  uter- 
ance, consists  of  the  simple  rise  or  fall  of  the  second,  on  the  shortj 
and  of  the  waves  of  the  second,  on  the  longer  sylablos.  When  he 
is  familiar  with  the  audible  efect  of  this  plain  diatonic  melody,  he 
will  begin  to  recognize  the  state  of  mind  that  atends  it :  and  then 
the  whole  dificulty  of  discrimination  will  be  overcome  :  for  there 
is  as  clearly  a  perception  of  this  thotive  state  of  mind,  as  there  is  a 
perception  of  the  state  of  pnsion.  When  the  natural  connection 
of  mind  with  vocal  sign  is  not  overruled  by  false  expresion,  this 
plain  thotive  stiite  will  call  up  the  plain  diatonic  melody,  as  an 
excited  state  of  mind  will  call  uj)  the  pasionative  stylo.  With 
atention  to  this  natural  law,  there  will  bo  a  roadinos  in  executing 
the  plain,  distinguished  from  an  ex])resivo  intonation,  without  a 
confusion  of  their  res})ectivc  purposes,  as  wo  hear.it,  in  tho  great 
majority  of  readers.     If  I  may  state  my  own  case,  I  do  not,  on 


RECAPITULATING    VIEW    OF    MELODY.  339 

an  ocasion  for  using  the  j)laiii  melody,  direct  inyatcntion  especialy 
to  each  of  the  rising  and  faling  .seconds,  and  the  waves  that  con- 
stitute it :  but  having  previously  learned  the  detail  of  sounds,  and 
the  states  of  mind,  on  which  the  distinction  of  style  is  founded,  I 
bring  up,  or  afect,  or  find-myself-in,  the  thotive  state ;  and  from 
the  instinctive  operation  of  mind  on  speech,  I  do  not,  or  cannot 
without  violence  to  my  natural  or  acquired  Elocution,  speak  in 
any  other  way. 

There  is  one  ex})resive  interval  of  the  scaler  the  Semitone,  some- 
times employed  on  single  words,  and  expresing  complaint,  pity, 
tenderncs,  or  supplication ;  but  more  generaly  on  phrases,  and 
sentences,  and  thruout  discoui'sc.  This  we  caled  the  Chromatic 
melody ;  and  like  the  two  varieties  of  the  Diatonic,  its  curent  is 
either  in  the  rise  or  fall  of  tlie  simple  interval,  for  deliberate  grief; 
or,  for  strong  expresion  in  the  equal  wave  of  the  semitone,  under 
its  direct  and  inverted,  its  single  and  its  double  forms.  Some  parts 
of  the  Church-service,  containing  words  of  complaint,  penitence 
and  suplication,  call  for  this  dignified  wave  of  the  chromatic 
melody.  From  the  marked  expresion  of  the  semitone,  its  melody 
never  has  the  plainly  Thotive  condition.  It  is  always  either 
reverentive  or  Pasionative. 

Other  constituents  contribute  to  the  means  of  corect,  elegant, 
and  expresive  si)eech.  These  were  considered  under  the  terms, 
vocality ;  Variations  of  radical  j)itch  on  its  diferent  melodial 
phrases;  Pauses,  with  the  proper  intonation  to  be  used  at  them; 
and  Grouping,  or  the  means  of  impresing  on  an  auditor,  more 
definitely,  the  syntactic  relation  of  words  and  phrases,  by  means 
of  pause,  emphasis,  and  the  varieties  of  time  and  force. 

This  sumary  includes  the  constituents  so  far  enumerated,  which 
enter  into  the  eomj)osition  of  melody.  Some  important  functions, 
yet  to  be  described,  will  furnish  us  with  other  expresive  signs. 


340  THE   INTONATION  OF 

SECTION  XXXII. 

OJ  the  Intonation  of  Exdamaiory  Sentences. 

The  downward  concretes,  and  the  wave,  are  variously  expresive 
of  surprise  and  admiration  ;  and  as  these,  with  like  states  of  mind, 
are  represented  by  what  is  called  Exclamation,  I  shall  point  out 
some  of  the  principles  that  seem  to  govern  the  use  of  these  inter- 
vals, in  Exclamatory  sentences. 

Beyond  a  general  admision  of  the  existence,  and  of  the  expresion 
of  the  'tones  of  the  voice,'  or  what  we  call  Intonation  in  the  Art 
of  Speakings  this  important  function  has,  strangely,  receved  no 
further  notice  of  its  forms  and  uses,  than  that  vaguely  signified  by 
the  comon  '  notes '  of  Interogation,  and  Admiration.  But  as  these 
notes  imply  only  some  undescribed  peculiarity  of  voice,  without 
being  employed  acording  to  system  or  rule,  they  can  be  consid- 
ered as  no  more  than  gramatical  symbols  to  the  eye.  The  indefi- 
nite state  of  knowledge  on  the  intonation  of  these  forms  of  speech, 
has  been  further  confused  by  the  vague  uses  of  their  symbols.  For 
the  note  of  interogation  is  often  aplied  to  what  are  realy  interject- 
ive,  or  argumentative  apeals ;  and  what,  by  the  light  of  inquiry, 
may  be  shown  to  be  strictly  exclamatory. 

The  subjects  of  Interogative  and  of  Exclamatory  sentences  are 
so  intermingled  in  their  gramatical  structure,  meaning,  and  into- 
nation, that  it  requires  a  comparative  view  of  their  several  con- 
ditions to  comprehend  their  relationships  to  each  other.  Prefatory 
therefore,  to  a  description  of  Exclamatory  sentences,  I  here  give 
a  sumary  of  what  has  been  stated  on  the  divisions,  purposes,  and 
forms  of  interogation. 

In  the  seventeenth  section,  we  learned  that  even  in  the  ques- 
tions there  exemplified,  the  downward  intervals  with  the.  direct 
and  inverted  waves  are  oeasionaly  employed  for  their  expresion. 
Had  the  Reader  been  prepared,  by  previous  description  of  the 
character  of  these  forms  of  pitch,  it  would  there  have  been  more 
particularly  stated  that  some  questions  with  the  gramatical  form, 
are  made  altogether  by  these  downward  movements.     He  may 


I 


EXCLAMATORY   SENTENCES.  341 

therefore  now  be  told,  after  Mhat  has  been  said  of  the  positive 
expresion  of  tlic  faling  intervals,  that  Avhenever  a  question  gram- 
atiraly  constructetl,  employs  only  the  simple  downward  movement, 
or  the  direct  wave,  the  interogative  character  is  lost  in  that  of  the 
positive  state  of  mind,  which  requires  these  adopted  intervals. 

Interogations  which  employ,  e.rch(sivelj/,  the  downward  inter- 
vals and  the  direct  wave,  are  in  their  meaning,  what  we  caledj 
Questions  of  Asumed  Belief;  and  are  severaly:  Apealing,  Argu- 
mentative or  Conclusive;  and  Exclamatory;  to  which  may  be 
aded,  as  bearing  the  same  intonation,  the  Imperative  question. 

In  all  these  cases,  except  the  imperative,  there  is  a  certain 
belief  in  the  interogator,  of  an  expected  acquiescence  on  the  point 
of  inquiry';  and  his  perception  of  this  belief  is  founded  on  the  facts, 
and  influences,  embraced  within  his  meaning,  which  are  to  be 
gathered  from  his  maner,  or  discourse ;  constituting  what  we  caled 
the  Colateral  grounds  of  indication  in  a  question. 

In  the  want,  at  this  time,  of  a  discriminating  nomenclature,  we 
are  obliged  to  take  the  term,  Question  of  belief,  with  a  latitude 
of  meaning,  between  a  simple  intimation  by  the  inquirer,  of  his 
knowledge  upon  the  subject  of  the  question j  and  his  full  asurance 
that  the  answer  must  acord  with  the  hopes  and  expectations  which 
prompted  the  question.  For  we  learned  in  the  seventeenth  section, 
that  the  negative  form  varies  in  its  asumed  belief,  from  the  slight- 
est degree,  to  the  fulnes  of  a  triumphant  inquiry :  and  employs, 
acording  to  that  degree,  the  various  means  of  a  partial  interogativej 
in  a  wider  downward  interval,  and  a  wider  direct  wave.  The 
questions  reserved  for  this  section,  imply  their  belief,  to  a  degree 
that  calls  universaly,  for  a  thoru  and  positive  downward  intonation. 

I  have  therefore  included  the  four  above  name<l  kinds  of  in- 
terogation  under  the  present  head  of  Exclamatory  Sentences ;  for 
these  require  the  same  downward  forms  of  j)itch.  It  will  be 
dificult  however,  to  draw  a  })recise  line  of  separation  betAvccn  the 
pure  interogation  of  the  rising  intervals,  and  a  gramatical  question 
with  a  downward  positive  movement.  And  if  we  may  not  be  able 
to  make  the  point**  of  their  near  resemblance,  a  mater  of  exact 
discrimination,  we  may  still  describe  and  arange  the  manifest 
diference  between  them. 

The  Apealing  Question.      In  this    interogatory,   the  state  of 


342  THE    IXTOXATIOX    OF 

mind  of  the  speaker  in  most  cases,  aproaclies  to  that  of  positive 
conviction ;  as  no  one  ever  apeals,  but  with  the  expectation  of  de- 
cision in  his  favor.  The  apeal  is  put  in  a  questionary  form,  either 
with  a  persuasive  deference,  or  with  cuning  sophistry,  as  leading 
towards  a  favorable  answer.  The  real  or  the  asumed  belief  of  the 
interogator  produces,  in  questions  of  this  kind,  the  same  downward 
intonation  which  positive  asertions  require ;  since  the  reference  of 
these  questions  is  made  for  a  confirmation  of  the  belief;  and  this 
is  more  clearly  exhibited  in  the  forms  of  poetical  apeal  to  the  will 
of  Heaven ;  for  this  implies  the  highest  asurance  on  the  part  of 
the  interogator.  In  the  fourth  act,  and  second  scene  of  Julius 
Caesar,  Brutus  saysj 

Judsje  me  ye  Gods  I       Wrong  I  mine  enemies! 
And  if  not  so,  how  should  I  wrong  my  brother! 

Here  are  two  apcaling  questions,  not  adressed  in  the  doubt  of  in- 
quiry, and  with  anxiety  for  a  reply,  but  with  the  full  expectation 
of  a  favorable  decision.  The  words  in  italics  therefore  properly 
require  thruout,  the  downward  intonation ;  in  truth,  the  sentences 
are  exclamatory. 

There  is  a  fine  example  of  this  question  in  Hamlet ;  where  the 
Prince  comes  upon  the  king,  at  prayer,  after  his  penitent  soliloquy. 

Now  might  I  do  it,  pat,  now  he  is  praj'ing; 
And  now  I'll  do't;  and  so  he  goes  to  heaven: 
And,  so,  am  I  revenged? 

The  last  line  is  an  apcaling  question  of  belief,  to  the  speaker's  own 
confidence  in  retributive  justice.  The  intense  seriousncs  of  Hamlet 
does  not  alow  this  question  to  take  the  more  cheerful  intonation  of 
the  rising  intervals ;  but  calls  for  the  gravity  of  a  strong  down- 
ward exprcslon,  which  may  be  aplied  in  this  maner.  Witii  a 
slight  pause  after  and,  and  so,  give  to  the  first  of  these  words,  a 
forcible  empiiasis  of  the  faling  fifth,  or  octave;  and  to  the  second, 
a  prolonged  direct-wave,  of  cither  of  (hcsc  intervals  ;  the  rest  of 
the  sentence  iiaving  a  downward  intonation,  with  the  tripartite 
cadence,  and  a  strong  eni[)hasis  on  a  in  and  on  vcncjcd.  Hamlet 
satisfies  himself,  that  sending  the  King  to  heaven,  by  klling  him 


EXCLAMATORY  SENTENCES.  343 

at  prayer,  -svoukl  not  be  revenge,  but  '  hire  and  salary,'  on  his 
partj  and  grace  and  'salvation*  to  the  King.  And  the  asumed 
belief  on  thi.s  })oint,  directs  his  cjuestion;  And,  so,  am  I  revenged? 
Andy  is  here  to  be  tiiken  as  an  illative  particle ;  so,  as  an  elipsLs, 
forj  by  so  doing.  The  meaning  of  the  pasage  may  then  he  ampli- 
fied thus :  Now,  might  I  do  it ;  [kid  him ;)  and  now  (lokile  he  is 
at  jjrayer)  I'll  do't ;  and  so  {by  hiling  him  at  prayer)  he  goes  to 
heaven.  And  so,  {but  by  so  doi)U/,)  am  I  revenged?  or,  {by  so 
doing  am  I,  therefore  revenged  f)  This  full  phraseology  requires 
no  special  aid  from  intonation,  to  show  the  thotful  vengeance  Avith 
which  Hamlet  questions  the  conection  between  cause  and  conse- 
quence, and  justifies  his  apeal.  When  the  sentence  is  reduced  to 
its  textual  brevity,  the  emphasis  of  a  positive  intonation  is  necesary 
to  asist  the  gramatic  feeblenes,  if  not  to  clear  up  the  obscurity  of 
the  eliptical  construction.* 

*  The  'Acting  Drama'  always  omits  this  Scone  of  Hamlet.  It  must  have 
been  intended  by  Shakspeare,  tho  it-  time  is  not  yet  come,  to  be  a  fine  ocasion 
for  two  acomplished  Actors:  and  when  education  shall  take  the  place  of  jeal- 
ous 'Genius,'  two,  and  many  more,  will  act  safely,  if  not  kindly  together. 
The  Theater,  under  its  present,  I  would  say  System  of  elocutionj  if  it  had 
onej  can  with  all  its  conjurations,  draw-down  from  the  firmament  of  '  His- 
trionic Inspiration,'  only  rays  enough,  in  its  nightly  wants,  to  form  one  soli- 
tary Star ;  which  is  at  once  made  stationary  in  its  powers,  by  becoming  the 
sole  center  of  admiration  and  applause.  While  the  Poet  faling  to  the  poverty 
of  the  stage,  and  furnishing  only  a  single  character,  to  match  the  singlenes 
of  the  Actor,  they  both  have  agreed  to  travel  together,  for  joint  reputation 
and  profit. 

A  system  of  any  kind,  that  can  furnish  only  one  great  Leader  in  its  afairs, 
whether  of  th6t  or  action,  must  be  a  bad,  a  wrong,  or  a  very  imperfect  sys- 
tem ;  for  it  proves  the  Master  to  be  but  an  Acidcnt;  and  an  acident  iiapening 
within  a  rule  must  always  be  either  an  odity  or  an  imperfection.  A  good 
system  makes  the  iiitelect  and  the  hand  equal,  among  the  studious  and  com- 
petent;  or,  under  a  brotherhood  of  knowledge  and  principles,  alows  a  difer- 
encc  only  in  their  degrees  of  excelence.  AVe  have  numbers  without  number, 
of  Geometers,  Arithmeticians,  Chemists,  Mechanics,  and  even  comon  Work- 
monj  and  we  hope  that  hereafter,  there  may  be,  in  the  world,  more  than  one 
great  Actor  at  a  timcj  all  respectively,  of  educated  inteligencc  and  skill  in 
their  several  arts,  and  nearly  equal  among  themselves  ;  the  necesary  result  of 
undisputed,  and  uniform  methods  of  demonstrative  instruction.  JJut  alas,  in 
the  ever-contentious  subjects  of  Intelcct,  Law,  Government,  Morals,  Medi- 
cine, Jllocution,  and  Keligion,  there  is  still  held  up  to  us,  tho  inimitable 
mastcrshi[),  and  solitary  glory  of  Socrates,  Aristotle,  Alfred,  Manco  Capac, 


344  THE   INTONATION    OF 

The  Argumentative  or  Conclusive  question.  The  object  of  this 
question  is  not  inquiry ;  for  it  is  generaly  adresed  upon  data,  that 
make  the  phrase,  gramaticaly  interogation,  rather  a  conclusion 
from  premises  admited  or  proved.  Thus  Antony,  over  the  body 
of  Csesar,  saysj 

He  hath  brought  many  captives  home  to  Kome, 
Whose  ransoms  did  the  general  cofers  fill : 
Did  this  in  Csesar  seeyn  ambitious  I 

Or  as  more  strongly  marked  in  this :  • 

You  all  did  see  that  on  the  Lupercal, 

I  thrice  presented  him  a  kingly  crown, 

"Which   he  did  thrice  refuse.      Was  this  ambition  f 

These  arguments,  for  so  they  may  be  caled,  adressed  in  the 
words  of  a  question,  certainly  cannot  be  receved  with  their  usual 
gramatical  meaning.  The  meaning  is  realy  inferential  that  Csesar 
was  not  ambitious.  In  short,  these  cases  belong  to  Avhat  might  be 
figuratively  termed  an  interogative  sylogism,  of  that  species  which 
logicians  call  an  Enthymeme,  or  an  argument  of  two  propositions 
only,  the  minor  and  the  conclusion,  thus  : 

Ciiesar  thrice  refused  a  kingly  crown  ; 
Therefore  Cassar  was  not  ambitious. 

The  sylogism  being  completed  by  the  adition  of  its  general  or 
major  proposition : 

An  ambitious  man  would  not  refuse  a  kingly  crown  ; 
But  Caesar  thrice  refused  a  Icingly  crown, 
Therefore  Csesar  was  not  an  ambitious  man. 

Such  being  the  positive  character  of  these  phrases,  it  folows 

Washington,  Garrick,  Louis  the  Fourteenth,  Escuhipius,  Luther,  and  Ma- 
homet !  1 

Whenever  time  shall  fumigate  the  mind  from  such  metaphysical  notions 
asj  'familiar  spirit,'  'favored  of  the  gods,'  '  Ca?sar  and  his  fortunes,'  the 
Shakspeare-mould  of  'genius,'  which  broke  under  its  first  casting^;  those 
miasmata  of  typhus  fatality  to  emulative  eforts^  and  shall  set  physical  science 
plainly  to  survey  the  simple  proces  of  cause  and  consequence  in  the  human 
intelect,  then  and  not  till  then,  will  we  sec  clearly  all  such  monopolizing 
ascriptions,  in  their  ambitious,  delusive,  factitious,  and  distracting  light. 


EXCT.AMATORY   SENTENCES.  345 

from  the  rules  wc  have  laid  down,  that  they  should  recovc  an  ini- 
prc.>^sive  intonation  of  the  wider  faling  intervals  and  the  direet 
wave;  the  very  oposite  to  those  which  denote  an  interogative. 

Acording  to  the  present  method  of  reading,  by  confusing  the 
ordained  laws  of  the  voice,  and  thereby  corupting  its  practice, 
these  questions  might  be  given  with  a  thoro  aplication  of  the  rising 
intervals.  But  in  this  case,  the  intonation  would  be  apt  to  asunie 
the  sneering  expresion  of  the  double-direct  or  single-inverted  wave, 
and  by  its  ironical  efect,  to  endue  the  inquiry  with  the  force  of  a 
real  negation. 

And  here  our  history  points-out  one  of  the  many  relations, 
discoverable  between  the  arts  of  '  logic,'  gramar,  and  rhetoric, 
and  that  of  elocution ;  or,  between  all  the  states  or  the  purposes 
of  the  human  mind,  and  the  vocal  means  for  denoting  them.  It 
has  been  shown,  that  the  words  in  italics,  of  the  above  examples, 
are  in  meaning,  positive  declarations  on  the  part  of  the  intero- 
gator,  of  l)elief  in  a  fact;  Avhich  by  a  Figure  of  speech,  is  con- 
veyed in  the  form  of  a  question :  and  questions  are  generaly  taken 
as  words  of  doubt.  Consequently  in  cases  like  these,  where  the 
voice  has  a  positive  meaning,  it  should  be  able  to  anul  the  usual 
power  of  the  graniatical  question.  The  means  for  efecting  this, 
is  by  the  use  of  the  most  emphatic  degree  of  the  downward  inter- 
vals, and  direct  waves ;  for  their  expresion  is  contrary  to  that  of 
the  rising  interogative  voice.  And  this  instance  may  serve  to 
pre-signify  the  differences  in  vocal  and  grammatical  relationships, 
which  the  future  cultivators  of  elocution  will  be  caled  upon  to 
analyze,  and  to  reconcile,  by  the  extended  powers  and  resources 
of  their  art.  Strictly,  every  proposition  of  a  sylogism  must  either 
aftirni,  or  deny.  No  question  of  real  inquiry  can  therefore,  form 
part  of  the  proces  of  sylogistic 'reasoning;'  as  it  neither  afirms 
nor  denies.  Yet  see,  in  the  examj)les,  how  the  voice  breaks  thru 
this  law  of  the  school,  and  almost  of  the  mind,  by  its  overbearing 
intonation;  and  endues  an  undetermined  gramatical  inquiry,  with 
the  asumcd  power  of  a  positive  belief. 

The  Exclamatory  Question.    The  apcaling  question,  it  has  been 

stated,  is  exclamatory ;  and  conversely,  it  may  be  said  here,  the 

exclamatory  question  embraces  an  apeal.     The  only  ground  for 

distinguisiiing  them  is,  tliat  the  exclamatory  phraae  apears  to  be 

23 


346  THE   INTONATION   OF 

further  removed  from  the  condition  of  a  question,  than  the  apeal, 
by  its  seeming  the  less  to  require  an  answer. 

In  Shakspeare's  Richard  II,  the  King,  in  that  celebrated  descant 
on  the  state  of  princes,  saysj 

I  live  with  bread  like  you,  feel  want,  taste  grief, 

Need  friends  ;   subjected  thus, 

Hoiv  can  you  say  to  me}  I  am   a  King  I 

The  interogative  words  in  italics  do  not  require  an  answer,  for, 
when  interpreted  by  the  two  preceding  lines,  they  contain  reproof, 
displeasure,  surprise,  and  conclusive  denial,  but  not  inquiry ;  and 
therefore  are  properly  expresed  by  the  use  of  the  downward 
concrete,  and  the  direct  wave. 

Perhaps  the  Reader  may  thinkj  the  Exclamatory  question  does 
not  difer  from  the  Apealing,  or  at  best,  only  in  degree.  I  am  but 
the  historian  of  my  tongue  and  ear.  After  I  have  told  all  they  tell 
me,  the  Reader  may,  and  I  supose  will,  think  as  he  pleases  about  it. 

The  Imperative  Question.  This,  although  bearing  a  positive 
intonation,  is  not,  as  above  remarked,  a  question  of  belief,  but 
takes  its  downward  intonation  from  the  influence  of  a  state  of 
mind,  acidentaly  conected  with  its  own.  There  is  such  a  thing 
{US  overbearing  impetus  in  pasionative,  as  well  as  in  physical  mo- 
mentum ;  whereby  the  expresion,  apropriate  to  one  mental  con- 
dition is  caried  into  another,  which  under  difercnt  circumstances 
would  not  admit  of  that  expresion.  The  intonation  of  an  impera- 
tive question,  seems  to  be  of  this  character ;  for  here  two  states  of 
mind  are  embraced  by  the  speakcrj  Comand  and  Inquiry ;  and 
these  are  in  imediate  conection  with  each  other.  The  zeal  of  the 
question  is  exhibited  in  the  vehement  desire  for  an  answer,  and 
this  desire  displays  itself  in  the  earnest  authority  of  comand.  By 
this  transfer,  the  comand  asumes  all  the  energy  of  the  case ;  and 
seeming  to  forget,  if  I  may  so  ilustrate  the  subject,  the  rising 
expresion  due  to  the  inquiry,  throws  the  positivencs  of  the  down- 
ward imperative  over  the  wliole.  This  is  exemplified  by  jNIacbeth's 
consultation  with  the  witches. 

Witches.  Seek  to  know  no  more, 

Macbeth.   I  will  be  satisfied.      Deny   mo  this, 

And  an  eternal  curse  fall  on  you.       Let  nie  know, 
Why  siiiks  that  caldron  I    and  what  noise  is  this! 


i 


EXCLAMATORY  SENTENCES.  347 

Tlie  cagcrnes  of  Macbeth  here  rises  into  anger,  at  tlic  ])rospcct 
of  (lisapointment.  This  anger  asumes  the  comand,  in  the  phrasej 
let  mc  knoic  ;  and  the  strong  downward  intonation  of  this  conumd 
is,  by  the  inn)erative  force,  continued  thruout  the  two  suceding 
questions.  The  inteligent  Reader  will,  on  trial,  at  once  admit  the 
propriety  of  this  positive  intonation,  however  he  may  explain  it ; 
for  let  him,  after  the  angry  comand,  imediately  give  to  the  ques- 
tions the  rising  intervals  of  interogationj  and  not  only  will  there 
be  a  want  of  apropriate  gravity  and  force,  but  the  violent  con- 
trast of  cxpresion  will  be  even  ludicrous.  Yet  without  the  over- 
ruling of  this  imperative  energy,  the  questions  would  take  the 
iuterogative  intervals ;  for  they  contain  a  real  inquiry. 

In  the  above  instance,  the  question  contains  the  previous  com- 
and ;  where  it  is  wanting,  we  are  to  suppose  the  phrase^  tell  me,  or 
some  equivalent  imperative. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  causes  why  imperative  questions,  as  we 
have  shown,  drop  their  interogative  intonation  may  be,  that  the 
gramatical  structure,  suficiently  indicates  the  inquiry ;  and  alows 
the  comand  to  continue  the  downward  interval  beyond  itself. 
Some  other  states  of  mind,  embraced  in  a  gramatical  interogative, 
require  the  downward  intervals.  I  have  given  examples  enough 
on  this  subject  to  direct  the  course  of  analysis,  and  a  method  of 
clasification. 

Upon  the  subject  of  the  comon  Note  of  interogation,  we  may 
remark,  that  as  most  questions  are  signified  by  their  gramatical 
structure,  and  as  this  symbol  gives  no  special  rule  for  intonation, 
it  may  be  regarded  as  useles,  except  in  declaratory  questions,  and 
phrases  that  without  it  might  be  mistaken  for  imperatives.  In 
these,  the  mark  placed,  as  long  ago  proposed,  at  the  begining  of  a 
question,  would  be  definite  in  its  purpose,  from  such  sentences 
always  requiring  the  rising  intonation.  That  the  comon  intero- 
gative indication  of  this  symbol  may  confuse  a  reader  who  atempts 
to  direct  his  voice  by  itj  is  a  fair  conclusion  from  its  being  a})lied 
to  sentences  which  require,  as  we  have  now  learned,  a  totaly  dif- 
erent  cxpresion. 

Having  in  the  present,  and  in  a  former  section,  considered  the 
various  kinds  of  interogation,  that  severaly  require  either  the  up- 
ward or  the  downward  intervals,  let  us  briefly  recapitulate  them. 


348  THE   INTONATION   OF 

First.  Questions  in  their  Gramatieal  construction,  are  severaly 
Declarative,  Comon,  Adverbial,  Pronominal,  and  Negative. 

Second.  In  the  state  of  mind  or  meaning  conveyed,  they  are  of 
Real  Inquiry,  of  Belief,  and  Triumphant  questions. 

Third.  Questions  in  their  various  degrees  of  Force,  are  Moder- 
ate, or  Earnest,  or  Vehement;  and  they  may  embrace  surprise, 
plaintiveness,  mirth,  railery,  anger,  contempt,  and  all  states  of 
mind,  not  inconsistent  with  that  of  a  question. 

These  three  kinds  variously  require  in  their  structures,  mean- 
ings, and  degrees,  either  the  partial,  or  the  thoro  rising  intonation ; 
or  a  downward  interval  or  wave  intercurent  with  the  rising ;  which 
properly  belonging  to  our  seventeenth  section,  are  there  particu- 
larly described. 

Fourth.  Those  questions  which  always  require  the  downward 
intonation,  are  the  Apealing  or  Argumentative,  the  Exclamatory, 
the  Imperative ;  and  there  may  be  others  of  like  character  deserv- 
ing a  name ;  all  of  which  from  having  the  same  downward  interval 
or  direct  wave,  we  include  under  the  present  head  of  Exclamatory 
sentences.  In  truth  they  might  be  caled  Figurative  Questions  by 
a  license  of  speech,  which  takes  the  interogative  construction,  for 
the  interogative  meaning.  But  in  them  this  meaning  is  lost  under 
the  vocal  signs  of  a  do"\vnward  concrete  and  a  direct  wave,  which 
we  shall  presently  show  proper  Exclamations  require. 

As  the  preceding  descriptive  acount  and  clasification  of  Inter- 
ogative sentences  may,  in  this  first  atempt  to  bring  order  out  of 
imperfect  and  desultory  knowledge,  seem  intricate  and  untrace- 
ablej  I  here  recapitulate  the  several  gramatieal  Forms  of  ques- 
tions, the  states  of  mind,  meaning,  or  purpose  that  direct  them, 
and  their  degrees  of  Force ;  with  their  Kinds,  Structures,  and 
Intonations,  under  a 


EXCLAMATORY   SENTENCES. 
TABULAR    VIEW. 


349 


I.  Questions  under  a  diferent  Gramatical  Form. 


Kind. 


Structure. 


Intonation. 


Declaratory. 


Comon. 


Adverbial. 


Pronominal. 


Negative. 


/   Either  an  afirmative,    f  In  almost  every  case, 
\  era  negmtive  sentence.  \  thoro. 


The  verb,  auxiliary, 
and  nominative,  trans- 
posed. 


f  The 

1    ver 


c  adition  of  an  ad- 
fa  to  the  comon. 


The  adition  of  a  pro- 
noun to  the  comon. 


f  The  adition  of  a  nega- 
i    tive  to  the  comon,  the 
adverbial,  or  the  pro- 
nominal. 


Partial,  or  thoro,  ac- 
cording to  the  earnest- 
nes,  or  the  state  of 
mind. 

Partial,  if  not  made 
thoro  by  earnestues, 
or  the  state  of  mind. 

Partial,  if  not  made 
thoro  by  earncstnes, 
or  the  state  of  mind. 

Partial,  or  earnestly 
thoro;  or  with  a  down- 
ward interval,  or  a 
direct  wave. 


II.  Questions  with  a  diferent  Meaning,  or  Purpose. 


Real  Inquiry. 


Asumed  Belief. 


f   Comon,  or  adverbial,   f  Generally   thoro,    ex- 
\  or  pronominal.  \  cept  in  series. 


r  Con 
\  orp 
(  ativ 


Comon,  or  adverbial, 
ronom  i  nal ,  or  neg- 
ve. 


Partial,  or  thoro;   or 
downward  interval, 
or  a  direct  wave. 


(Comon,  or  adverbial,  f  Generally  \ 
or  pronominal :  but  .|  nest  down\ 
generaly  a  negative.      (  val,  or  a  di 


Generally  with  anear- 
iward  inter- 
irect  wave. 


III.  Questions  with  diferent  degrees  of  Force. 


Moderate. 


Earnest. 


{ orT„"Ci '.1'"""'  { «™"'"y  p"'-'- 


(Declaratory, or  comon,  f  Thon 
or  adverbial,  or  pro-  }  figurt 
nominal.  j   down 


Thoro,   except    when 
rative;    and    then 
ward. 


Vehement;  with  sur-  Declaratory, or  comon, 
prise,  or  other  excited  I  or  adverbial,  or  pro- 
"'''"  nominal,  or  negative. 


state. 


Emphatically  thoro, 
except  when  figura- 
tive ;  and  then  down- 
ward. 


350  THE  INTONATION  OF 

TABULAR    VIEW    CONTINUED. 


IV.  Questions  under  a  Figurative  Form. 


Kind.  Structure.  Intonation. 


Apealing.  -|   or      pronominal,      or 

neirative. 


Comon,  or  adverbial,   f    a   i  j  •   a.        i 

'  •      ,         '       A  downward  interval, 

or      pronominal,      or  -^  ,•       ,  ' 

/.  '  or  a  direct  wave, 

negative.  (. 

(Comon,  or  adverbial,   (    .  j  j  •   ^         i 

'  .     ,  '       A  downward  interval, 

or      pronominal,      or  -^  j-       ^ 

/■  '  )   or  a  direct  wave, 

negative.  ( 


Exclamatory. 


(Comon,  or  adverbial,   f    »  j  j  •   x         i 

•      1  '   )   A  downward  interval, 

or      pronominal,      or  -<  -,.       ^  ' 

'.  '  1   or  a  direct  wave, 

negative.  ( 

{Comon,  or  adverbial,    f    .    ■■  j  •    ^         i 

'  .     ,  '       A  downward  interval, 

or      pronominal,      or  -^  j-       ^  ' 

'.  '  1   or  a  direct  wave, 

negative.  (_ 


From  the  detailed  description  and  the  Tabular  view,  on  the 
subject  of  Interogative  sentences,  we  learn  how  variously  their 
forms  are,  in  structure,  meaning,  and  degree  of  force,  under  re- 
ciprocal subjection  to  each  other.  The  gramatical  are  changed 
by  the  meaning,  and  by  the  degree  of  force ;  the  degree  of  force 
by  the  meaning ;  and  the  jxirtial  overruled  to  the  thoro,  and  even 
to  the  downward  intonation.  Scarcely  a  single  rule  can  be  univer- 
sally applied ;  and  all  are  more  or  less  crosed  by  exceptions  from 
every  side.  Such  is  the  unsetled  state  of  the  facts  colected  by  our 
imperfect  analytic  inquiry :  and  we  leave  others  to  reduce  them  to 
a  less  uncertain  arangement.  For  all  the  interchanges  of  interoga- 
tive intonation  are  still  directed  by  the  uniform  laws  of  Nature,  in 
the  Mind,  in  Language,  and  in  the  Voice ;  and  where  Nature,  in 
secrecy,  is  at  her  work  of  wisdom,  we  shall  there  find  Order,  when- 
ever we,  in  imitation  of  her  patience,  industriously  find  her  out. 

We  here  learn  that  what  we  call  Figurative  questions,  are  by 
their  downward  intonation  not  im])ropcrly  included  within  the 
section  on  Exclamatory  sentences^  which  we  now  procede  briefly 
to  describe. 


EXCLAMATORY   SENTENCES.  361 

Many  exclamations  may  be  regarded  as  eliptical  sentences. 
The  design  of  these  broken  phrases  is  to  give  a  forcible  picture 
of  the  state  of  mind  ;  and  as  this  is  done  with  a  brevity  of  style, 
which  sometimes  might  not  clearly  convey  these  several  states,  it 
is  necesary  to  employ  aditional  means,  for  their  apropriatc  intona- 
tion. And  hence  arise  the  structure  and  the  expresive  character 
of  Exclamations. 

The  shortest  exclamatory,  like  the  shortest  interogative  sentence 
consists  of  a  monosylabic  word ;  and  this  may  be  any  of  the  parts 
of  speech,  if  perhaps  we  except  the  article,  conjunction  and  prepo- 
sition ;  the  interjection  being  the  most  eomon.  And  here,  as  in 
the  monosylabic  question,  the  power  of  intonation  is  remarkable ; 
for  it  seems  to  be  the  art  of  speaking,  almost  without  words. 
From  the  monosylable,  exclamations  vary  in  extent  from  the 
elipsis,  to  the  full  syntax  of  a  sentence ;  tho  the  greater  part  are 
abreviated  by  pasionative  haste.  Exclamations  might  then  be 
aranged  acording  to  their  structure,  as  gramatically  imperfect,  or 
as  complete.  I  shall  class  them  acording  to  their  state  of  mind 
or  meaning. 

The  extent  of  the  faling  interval  or  the  wave  in  exclamatory 
sentences  is  in  proportion  to  the  energy  of  the  expresion.  The 
folowing  intcrjective  apostrophe,  from  its  moderate  temper,  might 
require  no  more  than  the  direct  wave  of  the  second,  or  semitone  on 
0,  and  the  triad  of  the  cadence,  on  the  remaining  three  sylables. 

O  withered  truth  ! 

The  energetic  emphasis  of  Hamlet's  revengeful  exclamation  at 
the  atrocity  of  the  Kingj 

O  villain,  villain,  smiling,  damned  villain! 

should  receve  on  every  sylable,  either  by  slow  or  rapid  concrete, 
the  deep  and  forcible  descent  of  the  octave. 

Of  the  many  kinds  of  exclamatory  sentences,  I  shall  only 
notice,  the  Admiring,  the  Plaintive,  the  Scornful,  and  the  Im- 
I)erative;  as  these  ilustrate  the  several  forms  of  intonation  re- 
([uired  by  this  impresive  class  of  phrases. 

The  Admiring  Exclamation.     Admiration  is  an  earnest  apro- 


352  THE   INTONATION   OF 

batorv  state  of  mind,  under  new  and  elevated  perceptions.  This 
newnes  of  objects,  or  of  our  reflections  upon  them,  involves  in  a 
degree,  an  inquiry  as  to  their  character  and  cause ;  and  seems  to 
call  for  the  use  of  the  rising  intervals.  This  state  has  not  the 
degree  of  force  that  requires  a  gramatical  or  a  vocal  question ;  yet 
there  is  in  the  character  of  Exclamation,  a  positive  conviction  of  the 
rare  admirative  importance  of  the  object.  It  is  from  embracing 
these  two  states  of  mind,  that  the  admiring  exclamation  calls  for 
the  direct  wave,  or  union  of  the  rising  and  the  faling  interval ; 
the  positive  character  of  the  exclamation,  by  the  dowuAvard  course 
of  the  last  constituent,  predominating  over  whatever  inquiry  may 
be  indicated  by  the  previous  rise.  Let  us  take  as  an  example, 
the  folowing  description  of  the  asembling  of  the  falen  Angels  at 
Pandemonium. 

So  thick  the  airy  crowd 

Swarm'd  and  were  straightened;    till  the  signal  given, 

Behold  a  wonder  I 

Here  the  sylables  hold  and  wond  require  the  direct  wave  of  the 
fifth,  which  their  indefinite  quantity  freely  admits. 

The  Plaintive  Exclamation.  It  was  shown  in  the  nineteenth 
section,  in  what  maner  a  plaintive  interogation  may  be  made,  by  a 
junction  of  the  semitonic  expresion  with  the  wider  upward  inter- 
vals. The  plaintive  exclamation  is  produced  by  a  rise  of  the 
semitone  continued  into  the  downward  third,  or  fifth,  or  octave, 
as  the  energy  of  the  case  may  require ;  constituting  a  direct  wave 
of  unequal  intervals.  The  unequal  wave  of  the  rising  semitone 
and  faling  fifth  gives  the  proper  expresion  to  the  acented  and  long 
sylabic  quantities  of  the  folowing  plaintive  exclamation  of  Macduff: 

O  Banquo,  Banquo, 
Our  royal  master's  murdered  ! 

The  Scornful  Exclamation.  It  was  said  in  the  thirty-first 
section,  that  Scorn,  acording  to  its  degree,  is  exprcsed  by  the 
simple  rise  or  fall  of  the  wider  intervals,  or  by  the  various  forms 
of  tlie  wave,  when  made  with  an  aspirated  or  a  gutural  voice ;  the 
simple  rise  and  the  fall  being  apropriate  to  sneer ;  and  the  wider 
waves,  to  the  deepest  contempt  and  cxccmtion.     When  therefore 


EXCLAMATORY   SENTENCES.  .'^53 

these  states  of  mind  arc  conveyed  by  short  emphatic  sentences, 
tliey  produce  what  is  here  caled  the  Scornful  Exclamation ;  as  in 
the  foloNvin;;,  from  the  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Bassanio.  This  is  signior  Antonio. 

Shi/lock.     How  like  &  fawning  publican  he  looks! 

This  last  line  will  be  properly  exprcscd,  if  the  sylables  in 
italics  rcccve  the  unequal  wave  of  the  rising  fifth  and  faling 
octave,  under  a  slight  degree  of  gutural  aspiration  ;  and  the  rest 
of  the  sentence,  the  faling  fifth,  as  a  rapid  concrete,  with  the  like 
iLsj)iration. 

The  Imperative  Exclamation.  An  imperative  pur2)ose  in  speech 
universaly  requires  a  doM'nward  interval,  or  a  direct  wave.  Other 
functions,  such  as  stres,  aspiration,  and  gutural  grating^  to  be 
spoken  of  hereafter,  mark  the  degrees  of  force  or  authority  in  the 
comand.  The  folowing-  exclamation  of  Macbeth  to  the  Ghost 
of  Banquo,  calls  for  the  downward  fifth  or  octave  on  every  syla- 
ble ;  acording  to  the  degree  of  energy  the  speaker  may  think 
apropriate  to  it. 

Hence  horible  shadow, 
Unreal  mockery  hence ! 

We  need  not  pui'sue  this  subject  further.  Exclamations  are 
but  forcible  interjective  expresions;  and  there  may  be  as  many 
kinds,  as  varieties  of  pasionativc  states  of  mind  ;  for  every  montiil 
energy  may  be  found  in  discourse,  under  the  exclamatory  form. 
\j(ii  others  define  and  divide  them.  Perhaps  the  nomenclature, 
and  examples  here  given,  may  asist  the  work  of  inquiry  and 
clasification  :  and  when  hereafter.  Elocution  shall  be  raised  into 
a  Science,  and  cease  to  be,  at  least  in  intonation,  no  more  than  a 
comon  animal  instinctj  all  those  things  in  the  art,  that  can  be 
to  me  sul)jccts  only  of  hope,  may,  in  the  fulnes  of  knowledge, 
be  acomplished  by  others. 

Upon  the  subject  of  the  intermingling  of  Interogative,  and 
Exclamatory  intonation,  it  is  to  be  remarked,  that  in  some  cases, 
emphatic  distinction  may  require  the  use  of  a  downward  interval 
or  a  direct  wave,  among  the  rising  intervals  of  partial  interoga- 
tives ;  and  a  rising  interval,  among  the  downward  concretes  and 


354  THE   TREMOR   OF   THE   VOICE. 

direct  waves  of  exclamation ;  the  contrasts  in  such  instances,  con- 
stituting one  of  the  characteristics  of  what  is  caled  emphasis,  or 
an  impresive  designation  of  single  words. 

In  reviewing  our  acount  of  the  oposite  indications  of  these  two, 
and  of  other  important  divisions  of  speechj  we  perceve  how  they 
sometimes  ajiear  to  cross  and  to  contravene  each  other.  The 
prevalent  and  cloudy,  system  of  Elocution j  and  much  more,  our 
metaphysical  and  mudled  Fictions  on  the  Mind,  by  resisting  the 
clarifying  influence  of  a  strict  observation,  still  keeps  us  carelesly 
ignorant  of  the  natural  diference  between  th5t  and  pasion,  with 
their  several  vocal  signs ;  and  prevents  our  exact  perception,  why 
their  phenomena,  tho  aparently,  are  in  no  way  realy,  inconsistent 
with  the  purpose  of  their  ordination.  So  it  is.  And  so  perhaps, 
the  self-contented  and  so  called  philosophic  world  will  have  it. 
Just  as  in  government,  religion,  morals,  the  social  relations,  and 
medicinej  with  all  our  majesterial  boasts  of  power  and  progresj  we 
have  not  the  perception,  knowledge,  truth,  virtue,  and  honor,  to 
save  us  from  still  prevailing  confusion,  dispute,  and  disasterj  in 
our  restles  atempts  to  rectify  these  subjects  of  conventional  trade, 
human  ambition,  and  for  all  their  pretended  purposes,  as  yet  of 
deplorable  failure. 


SECTION  XXXIII. 

The    Tremor   of  the    Voice. 

If  the  Reader  has  borne  in  mind  the  explanations  in  the  first 
section  of  this  essay,  he  must  be  aware  that  the  forms  of  pitch  so 
far  described,  are,  severaly,  phenomena  of  the  concrete,  the  dis- 
crete, and  the  chromatic  scales.  He  has  now  to  learn  the  means 
of  expresion  derived  from  the  Tremulous  scale. 

This  scale  consists  of  a  rise  and  fall  on  a  tonic  or  subtonic 
element,  thru  the  whole  compas  of  the  voicej  by  a  more  delicate 
exercise  of  that  ])articular  vibration  in  the  throat,  caled  in  comon 
language,  gurgling.     Altho  the  Tremor  has  always  been  known 


THE    TRE>[OR   OF   THE    VOICE.  355 

as  a  vocal  function,  it  is  lierc  first  analyzed,  and  its  use  and  man- 
agement in  speech  described. 

In  our  first  section  there  is  a  general  acount  of  the  Tremulous 
scjile.     We  must  now  be  more  particular. 

It  has  been  shownj  every  efort  of  the  voice  is  necesarily  in  the 
radical  and  vanishing  movement ;  and  that  the  audible  character- 
istic of  the  several  intervals  of  the  scale  may  be  distinctly  recog- 
nized by  their  ejects^  even  on  the  shortest  imutable  sylables. 

As  then  each  of  the  tonic  and  subtonic  elements  does,  in  its 
shortest  time,  always  pass  rapidly  by  the  concrete,  it  folows,  that 
however  quickly  sucesive  they  may  be  repeated,  each  impulse  must 
be  a  concrete  interval.  When  therefore  the  tremor  is  made  on 
any  of  the  above  named  elements,  either  alone  or  in  sylabic  com- 
bination, and  in  this  last  case,  it  is  still  heard  only  on  a  single 
elementj  the  sucesive  constituent  impulses  of  that  tremor  must 
each  consist  of  an  abrupt  radical,  and  of  a  rapid  concrete  thru 
some  one  interval  of  the  scale.  Let  us,  for  brief  and  more  pre- 
cise description,  call  these  impulses,  or  iterations,  the  Tittles :  and 
the  spaces  on  the  tremulous  scale,  between  the  tittlesj  here  asumed 
to  be  equal,  for  so  they  seem  to  mej  we  will  call  the  Minute  Tit- 
telar  Skip  or  interval.  Whether  these  skips  here  asumed  as  equal, 
are  of  the  same  extent,  under  all  circumstances,  and  in  every  voice, 
it  is  not  now  necesary  to  inquire.  The  tremulous  scale  is  then 
made-up  of  a  sucesion  of  tittles,  each  of  which,  like  the  comon 
sylabic  impulse,  has  its  rapid  radical  and  concrete  pitch.  Taking 
the  concrete  of  the  tittle,  as  a  designation,  there  may  be  a  tremor 
of  the  semitone,  second,  third,  filth  and  octave ;  the  concrete  pitch 
of  each  sucesive  tittle  rapidly  rising  or  faling  thru  those  intervals 
respectively.  In  this  case  the  tittelar  ski])s  are  suposed  to  be  on 
the  same  line  of  radical  pitch;  still  it  is  easy  to  perceve,  that  while 
the  rapid  concrete  of  these  tittles  is  moving  in  its  interval,  the 
tittles  themselves  may,  in  their  chatering  radical  skips,  be  caried 
upward  or  downward,  thru  a  ])art  or  the  whole  of  the  compas  of 
the  voice.  These  tittelar  skips  with  tiie  rapid  concretes,  are  madi; 
in  two  ways,  as  in  the  folowing  diagramj 


356  THE   TREMOR   OF   THE   VOICE. 

12  3  4  5 


where  a  given  number  of  these  skips  are  continued  on  one  line  of 
radical  pitch  :  as  in  the  first  and  second  bars ;  the  former,  having 
the  rapid  concrete  of  a  second ;  the  latter,  that  of  a  fifth.  The 
third  bar  represents  a  line  of  skips,  with  a  change  by  comon  radi- 
cal pitch,  thru  a  second  or  tone ;  and  by  iterations  on  a  line,  with 
a  radical  change,  by  proximate,  and  it  may  be  by  remote  degrees, 
the  voice  in  one  manner,  ascends  the  whole  compas,  of  the  dia- 
tonic scale. 

In  another  maner,  the  ascent  of  the  tremulous  scale  is  made, 
by  taking  the  radical  of  each  tittle,  sucesively,  a  minute  interval 
above  the  last,  as  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  bars ;  the  rapid  concrete 
in  the  former  being  a  third,  and  in  the  latter,  a  fifth.  In  this 
manner,  without  the  last  described  linear  step  by  proximate  or 
other  deg-rees  on  the  diatonic  scale,  but  with  a  direct  rise  or  fall  bv 
tittelar  skips  the  whole  extent  of  the  voice  is  travei-sed.  We  have 
no  means  for  measuring  the  space  between  the  tittles,  in  this  direct 
manner  of  ascent.  It  cannot  be  a  semitone.  If  it  were,  the 
tittelar  intervals  being  all  equal,  the  tittelar  skips  would  in  all 
cases,  be  plaintive ;  whereas,  it  is  so  only  when  the  concrete  of  the 
tittle  is  a  semitone.  And  it  may  be  infered,  that  it  is  not  greater 
than  this  interval :  for  if  we  make  the  tremulous  movement  of  a 
major  third,  the  number  of  tittelar  skips  will  cxcede  five ;  which 
is  the  number  of  semitones  included  within  the  third.  How  much 
less  than  a  semitone,  the  tittelar  interval  may  be,  we  leave  others 
experimentally  to  decide.* 

*  Some  one,  it  seems,  has  gone  far  boj'ond  comon  perception  in  distinguish- 
ing such  minute  intervals:  as  I  find  the  lolowing  statement  under  a  Note,  on 
the  nine  Inindred  and  twentieth  page  of  an  American  edition  of  Dr.  Carj)en- 
ter's  recent  extended  compihition  on  Physiology.  '  It  is  said  that  the  cele- 
brated Mme.  Mara  was  able  to  sound  one  hundred  diferent  intervals  between 
[ivithin  the  limits  of)  each  tone.  The  compns  of  her  voice  was  at  least  three 
octaves,  or  twenty-one  tones;  [notes;)  so  that  the  total  number  of  [minute) 


THE   TREMOR   OF   THE   VOICE.  357 

Wliat  has  been  said  of  tlie  a,'<cent  by  the  tremulous  scale,  is  true 
of  its  (lowntoard  progress.  Whichever  of  these  courses  the  itera- 
tions may  take,  cither  by  the  linear  step  of  a  tone,  or  wider  inter- 
val, or  by  direct  tittelar  rise  or  fall,  the  concrete  of  the  tittles,  as  it 
apears  to  me,  takes  the  same  direction ;  nor  have  I  ever  perceved, 
in  the  ordinary  uses  of  the  voice,  that  the  iterations  of  the  tremorj 
and  the  rapid  concrete,  move  in  directions  contrary  to  each  other. 

The  tremor,  then,  consists  of  abrupt  impulses,  or  tittles  of  mo- 
mentary duration,  separated  by  momentary  discrete  intervals;  the 
tittles  having  a  raj)id  concrete  of  some  interval  of  the  scale,  and 
moving  by  very  minute  intervals,  both  in  a  rising  and  faling 
direction. 

That  the  tremor  is  so  constructed,  may  be  ascertained  by  ex- 
i:)eriment ;  for  the  tremulous  iteration  can  be  continued  on  a  level 
line;  or  caried  upward  or  downward,  by  an  alternate  line  and 
step  of  radical  change  on  the  diatonic  scale;  or  directly  by  tittelar 
skip,  to  the  lowest  audible  pitch,  and  to  the  highest  point  of  the 
falsete.  And  further,  that  the  constituent  tittles  of  the  tremor, 
however  momentary,  have  each  an  isuing  rapid  concrete  interval, 
may  be  proved  by  trial ;  for  the  plaintive  efect  of  the  concrete 
semitone  may  be  heard  on  every  part  of  the  course  of  the  tremor, 

intervals  was  twenty-one  hundred,  all  comprised  (produced)  ^\'ithin  an  ex- 
treme variation  of  ono-eightli  of  an  inch  ;  (in  the  glotis ;)  so  that  it  mi2;ht  be 
said  that  she  was  able  to  determine  {or  ncurately  to  execute,  and  as  I  consider 
it,  to  perceve  the  efect  of)  the  contractions  of  her  vocal  muscles  to  nearly  the 
seventeen-thousandth  of  an  inch.' 

Here  is,  as  to  execution  and  efect,  a  most  extraordinary  power.  If  how- 
ever, the  Contributor  to  this  work,  who  records  the  instance,  and  who  apears 
to  have  read  every  treatise  on  the  voice,  but  one,  would  just  look  into  our 
unvalued  work,  of  which  there  is  a  copy  in  the  British  JNIuseum,  he  might 
perhaps  agree  with  us  in  the  conclusion,  that  by  the  division  of  a  tone  into 
one  hundred  jjarts,  the  iteration  of  the  tittles,  by  imcdiate  rise  or  fall,  being 
80  close,  they  could  only  be  heard,  as  a  continuous  or  concrete  sound.  The 
greater  tone  of  the  scale  is  theoreticaly  divided  into  nine  parts,  called  comas  ; 
and  as  even  this  ninth  part,  in  our  belief,  as  well  as  in  the  words  of  llousseau 
'  is  to  ears  like  ours,  uscles  except  in  [theoretic)  calculation  :'  what  ear  was  it, 
perceved  the  fraction  of  a  hundredth,  and  numericaly  folowcd  it  up  or  down 
in  tremulous  progrosion  thru  a  single  tone? 

Perhaps  the  present  Note  may  in  part,  ihistrate  what  is  said  in  the  fifth 
section,  on  the  groundles  authorities,  and  carelcs  conclusions,  so  comon  in 
vocal  IMiysiology. 


358  THE   TRKNIOR   OF   THE   VOICE. 

in  rising  tlie  whole  conipas  of  the  voice.  And  in  like  manner  the 
plain  effect  of  the  tonej  and  the  interrogative  expresion  of  the 
third,  or  fifth,  or  octave,  may  by  the  rapid  interval  be  given  to  this 
rising  tremor.  Now  as  the  tittelar  interval  is  not  a  semitone,  tone, 
or  wider  interval,  but  a  very  minute  space,  without  any  known 
expresion,  the  expresive  efect  cannot  be  produced  by  this  minute 
skip,  but  must  be  from  a  rapid  transit  of  the  concrete  of  the  tittles 
thru  thase  greater  intervals  respectively. 

It  was  in  reference  to  this  peculiar  progresion,  so  diferent  from 
the  concrete  movementj  from  the  discrete  steps  of  the  diatonic 
scalej  and  from  the  purely  semitonic  sucesion  of  the  chromatic, 
that  I  ventured,  in  the  first  section,  to  call  this  discrete  and  chat- 
ering  variation  of  pitch,  the  Tremulous  scale.  It  is  scarcely  neces- 
ary  to  add  that  the  rapid  concrete  of  the  tremor,  from  its  momentary 
duration,  is  restricted  to  its  simple  rise,  and  fall.  The  tittelar  skip, 
besides  the  simple  direct  rise  and  fall  by  its  minute  interval,  takes, 
in  its  progres,  the  course  of  contrary  flexure  into  the  wave.  This 
wave  of  the  tittelar  course  by  the  tremor  has  all  the  forms  of  the 
smooth  concrete  wave ;  while  the  rapid  concrete  still  acomj)anies 
the  tittles  on  their  winding  progres. 

To  those  who  think,  we  have  unecesarily  distinguished  Abrupt- 
nes  from  Force,  in  our  general  arangementj  we  must  remark,  that 
in  the  comparatively  feeble,  but  instantaneous  explosion  of  the 
tittle,  there  is,  to  me  at  least,  an  example  of  Abruptnes,  as  an  in- 
dependent Ilode;  and  its  peculiar  voice  gives  here  the  escntial 
and  sole  characteristic  of  this  aparently  explosive  radical  function  ; 
which  does  no  more  resemble  the  comon  perception  of  force  and 
its  uses,  than  an  imutable  sylable  resembles  the  perception  of  long 
quantity,  or  a  mathematical  point,  that  of  the  continuation  of  a 
line.  However  it  may  be  arangcd,  we  practically  maintain;  that 
Abruptnes  is  an  important  function  of  speech,  and  elocutionists 
who  have  used  it  instinctively,  will  best  fulfil  their  purposes,  when 
asisted  by  analysis,  nomenclature,  and  rule. 

The  expresive  power  of  the  tremor,  is  shown  in  the  functions 
of  I^aughter  and  Crying. 

The  pure  and  wnarticulatcd  act  of  Laughter  consists  in  the  use 
of  the  trenmlous  scale,  both  in  its  tittelar  skips,  and  in  its  rapid 
concrete.     Its  rapid  concrete  may  be  any  of  the  intervals  of  the 


THE   TREMOR   OF   THE    VOICE.  359 

scale,  except  the  seniiUnie  and  iniiuji-  third  ;  its  tittclar  skip  may 
pass  cither  by  the  step  of  the  tliatonic  scale,  or  directly  upward  or 
downward,  or  in  the  chatcrin<^  turn  of  tlic  wave,  thru  the  whole 
conipa<  of  the  voice.  In  speaking  of  the  intonation  of  iinutable 
sylables,  it  was  shown,  that  the  rapid  concrete,  imeasurable  directly, 
as  an  interval  of  the  scale,  is  yet  recognized  by  its  cliaracteristic 
efect:  and  the  Reader  may  practically  aply  the  principle,  in  dis- 
criminating the  intervals  used  in  laughter. 

AVhcn  the  concrete  pitch  is  a  tone,  and  the  iteration  is  continued 
on  a  level  line,  especialy  if  that  line  is  in  the  lower  range  of  pitch, 
the  function  may  indeed  bear  the  name  of  laughterj  yet  it  will  be 
only  a  phlegmatic  chuckling  in  the  throat.  When  the  concrete  is 
.still  in  the  tone,  if  the  line  of  tittelar  skips  continuously  rises  and 
falls  a  second  or  a  third,  forming  what  may  be  called  a  tittelar  wave, 
the  expresion  of  the  laugh  will  become  more  varied  and  sprightly. 
When  the  third  or  fifth  is  used  in  the  concrete  pitch,  and  the  tit- 
telar skips  are  caricd  upward  and  downward,  as  a  Avave  on  the 
wider  intervals  of  the  scale,  it  produces  the  gayest,  and  most  vivid 
expresion. 

Laughter  is  gencraly  on  one  of  the  tonic  elements.  It  may 
however  be  executed  on  the  subtonics,  and  even  on  the  atonies  in 
a  whispering  breath.  On  the  atonies,  its  tittelar  skip  if  I  do  not 
mistake,  rises  and  falls,  by  the  scale  of  whisper,  described  in  the 
fifth  section.  It  is  made  on  all  parts  of  the  scale,  within  the 
compass  of  the  voice,  tho  it  generally  afects  the  falsete.  Suposing 
the  vocality  of  voice  to  be  given;  laughter  will  be  most  agreeable, 
and  varied,  when  it  consists  of  a  moderate  tremor  of  well  acented 
tittles,  distinctly  separated  from  each  other;  and  pasing,  by  tittelar 
skip,  thru  simple  intervals  and  the  wave ;  with  a  concrete  pitch, 
moving  in  sucesion,  by  simple  rise  and  fall,  on  every  interval 
except  the  semitone,  and  minor  third  ;  the  expresion  being  still 
further  varied  by  a  swcling,  or  medium  force,  on  the  tittclar  skips, 
as  they  pass  thru  their  waves. 

Crying  is  an  w»articulated  movement  by  the  simj)le  rise  and 
fall  of  the  semitone,  and  perhaps  the  minor  third,  or  by  the  direct 
or  inverted  wave  of  these  intervals.  The  act  of  crying  has  two 
forms :  it  may  be  in  the  concrete,  or  in  the  tremulous  scivlc.  In- 
fants, when  they  do  not  use  the  i)rotracte(l  Jiotc,  cry  in  (he  iii-st 


360  THE  TREMOR  OF  THE  VOICE. 

maner,  with  a  prolonged  semitonic  wave,  on  some  tonic  element. 
It  is  a  long  time  before  the  tremor  is  heard  in  their  voice.  The 
first  step  towards  it,  is  in  the  convulsive  catch  of  sobbing.  By 
degrees  this  increases  in  frequency,  and  the  cry  becomes  thereby,  at 
last  composed  of  the  iteration  of  the  tremor. 

The  tremulous  function  of  crying,  like  that  of  laughter,  con- 
sists of  an  iteration  and  a  concrete.  The  tittles,  each  with  its 
isuing,  and  rapid  concrete-semitone,  or  perhaps  minor  third,  may 
sucesively  ascend  or  descend  the  whole  compas  of  the  voice,  by 
the  same  kind  of  movement  used  in  laughter ;  for  the  plaintive 
expresion  in  crying  procedes  from  the  rapid  concrete  of  the  semi- 
tone, not  from  any  sucesion  of  the  iterations ;  which,  in  the  act  of 
crying,  may  take  their  course  on  the  wider  intervals  and  waves. 

It  sometimes  hapens  that  children  while  crying  in  the  tremu- 
lous movement,  do  from  some  momentaiy  turn  of  perception,  and 
without  a  cesation  of  the  tremor,  pass  into  laughter.  Here  a 
cheerful  state  necesarily  produces  a  change  of  the  concrete,  from 
the  semitone,  or  perhaps  minor  third,  to  the  second,  or  other  wider 
interval,  ilnd  in  a  paroxysm  of  hysteria,  the  transition  between 
these  difercnt  means  of  gay  and  of  plaintive  expresion,  is  so  fre- 
quent and  rajiid,  that  the  hearer  is  sometimes  at  a  momentary  loss, 
to  say  which  function  is  in  operation.  In  this  case,  a  person  may 
properly  be  said  to  laugh  and  cry  in  the  same  continued  breath. 

The  ordained  conection  of  the  semitone  and  perhaps  the  minor 
third,  either  in  a  simple-prolonged  or  in  a  tremulous  form,  with 
the  state  of  distres  is  so  close,  that  even  if  the  act  of  crying  may 
liave  ceased,  yet  with  a  continuation  of  the  distres,  there  will  be  a 
kind  of  mental  hiatus  in  an  attempt  to  return  to  the  diatonic  into- 
nation of  speech.*  Some  persons,  for  the  sake  of  sport  or  fraud, 
play  the  part  of  crying.  If  they  are  habitual  mimics,  and  have 
flexible  voices,  tliey  may  perhaps  succede.  But  nature  is  always 
honest,  when  humanity,  lier  intended,  but  too  often  false  repre- 
sentative, is  ever  ready  to  deceve.  Diplomatic  Craft  is  so  well 
aware,  his  lips  may  mar  the  underplots  of  his  purpose,  that  he  is 
obliged  to  guard  the  ruling  pasion  by  circumspection,  or  brevity,  or 

*  Perliapp,  some  of  my  Readers  may  rccolect  such  a  case  havinj^  ocured  to 
thcmselvoi*,  in  childliood.  I  make  the  remark  from  my  own  experience,  at 
tlvat  uncoruptod  j)criod,  when  instinct,  as  yet,  had  kept  us  all  alike. 


THE  TREMOR   OF  THE   VOICE.  361 

silence.  When  mirth  or  sorow  is  within  us,  it  is  liard  to  restrain 
its  instinctive  expression.  He  who  would  be  to  the  inteligent 
observer,  an  unsusjxjcted  hyjKXTite  in  his  voice,  must  mask  even 
liis  thots  and  pasions  to  liimself. 

After  the  preceding  acount  of  the  use  of  the  tremor  upon  single 
elements,  in  the  functions  of  laughter  and  crying,  it  is  not  dificuJt 
to  forc-hcar  the  efect  of  its  aplication  to  sylabic  uterance  in  the 
curent  of  discoui-se. 

When  tlie  semitone,  in  the  chromatic  melody  of  speech,  is  given 
under  the  form  of  tremor,  it  increases  the  plaintive  efect  of  the 
simple  concrete.  For  as  crjdng  expreses  the  highest  degree  of  dis- 
tress, its  tremulous  characteristic  is  employed  in  speech,  to  denote 
an  exces  of  complaint  and  grief,  and  the  ardor  of  tender  suplica- 
tion.  Tremulous  seraitonic  speccli  is  the  utmost  practicable  crying 
upon  words. 

To  engraft  the  tremor  on  a  sylable,  let  the  Reader  pronounce 
the  word  name,  in  a  tremulous  movement  in  the  simple  rise,  or 
fall,  or  wave  of  the  semitone.  He  will  hear,  the  tremor  equaly 
on  the  tonic  a,  and  on  each  of  the  two  subtonic  elements. 

The  tremor  on  the  semitone  may  give  a  plaintive  expresion  to 
a  single  word :  or  that  expresion  may  be  continued  on  ocasional, 
yet  limited  portions  of  discourse.  If  this  restricted  aplication  de- 
serves a  name,  it  may  be  called  the  Tremulous-chromatic  melwly. 
The  folowing  stanza,  in  which  the  tremor  of  age  is  suposed  to 
be  joine<l  with  that  of  suplicating  distres,  may,  when  read  with 
the  coloring  of  dramatic  action,  aford  a  proper  example  of  this 
melody. 

Pity  the  sorows  of  a  poor  old  man, 

Whose  tronibling  limbs  have  borne  him  to  your  door, 

Whose  days  arc  dwindled  to  the  shortest  span  ; 

O  give  relief  and  heaven  will  bles  your  store. 

Here  the  tremor  of  the  semitone  may  be  aplied  to  every  em- 
phatic sylable  capable  of  prolongation,  which  is  the  case  with  all 
except  those  of  pifj/  and  shortest:  but  even  these  may  in  a  limited 
degree,  recevc  it :  for,  it  was  shown  formerlyj  particular  purposes 
of  expro^ion  somotimos  alow  a  slight  extension  of  quantity  on 
imutiible  sylai)les,  and  unemphatic  and  unaccntcd  words,  that  in 
dispasionate  uterance,  bear  only  the  shortest  time. 
24 


362  THE  TREMOR  OF  THE   VOICE. 

The  ocasional  use  of  the  tremulous  semitone  upon  individual 
words,  will  be  noticed  in  the  future  section  on  Emphasis. 

When  the  tremor  pases  by  its  tittelar  course,  thro  the  rising 
or  faling  second,  third,  fifth,  or  octave,  or  their  respective  waves, 
it  joins  the  mental  state  of  derision,  mirth,  joy,  or  exultation  to 
that  of  interogation,  surprise,  comand,  or  scorn,  respectively  con- 
veyed by  the  smooth  concrete  of  these  intervals.  It  aplies  to 
speech,  what  is  transferable  from  the  function  of  laughter ;  and  it 
adds  thereto  all  the  meaning  and  force  of  its  satisfaction. 

The  tremor  on  wider  intervals,  and  on  the  waves,  is  used  prin- 
cipaly  for  emphasis ;  yet  in  playful  discourse,  it  is  sometimes  heard 
in  continuation  on  more  than  one  sylable,  and  ocasionaly  even  on 
short  sentences. 

There  is  a  use  of  this  laughing  tremor,  as  we  may  call  its  un- 
articulated  execution  on  the  second,  third,  fifth,  and  octave.  I 
mean  its  employment  in  that  hysterical  exclamation,  heard  in 
exagerated  scenes  of  the  drama.  In  this  case,  the  laughing  tremor 
seems  to  be  strangely  subservient  to  ever}^  species  of  expresion : 
for  there  is  scarcely  an  excesive  degree  of  pasion,  whether  of  joy 
or  sufering,  in  which  it  is  not  naturaly,  and  may  not  with  caution, 
be  dramaticaly  used.  One  can  readily  pe reeve  why  this  vehe- 
ment expresion  by  the  wider  intervals,  should  denote  the  exces  of 
those  states  of  mind,  instinctively  conected  with  laughter ;  but  it  is 
not  at  once  manifest  why  the  signs  of  expresion  shovild  be  so  mis- 
aplied,  as  to  give  the  concrete  tremor  of  the  second  or  of  wider 
intervals,  to  states  that  in  cases  of  less  excitement,  properly  receve 
the  plaintive  tremor  of  the  semitone.  Let  us  try  to  explain  this 
seeming  anomaly. 

The  ocasions  on  which  this  hysteric  laugh  is  employed,  are  those 
of  the  highest  possible  intensity  of  distres.  By  the  rule  of  plain- 
tive expresion,  the  tittelar  iteration,  and  the  rapid  concrete  semi- 
tone should  be  used ;  and  witii  this  the  expresion  does  generaly 
begin.  But  as  the  pasion  increases  in  vehemence,  the  voice  Ls  so 
far  afectcd  by  its  execs,  as  to  disever  the  instinctive  conection;  and, 
giving  way  to  the  habit  of  employing  the  wider  intervals  in  keen 
and  forcible  expresion,  leaves  the  liampering  concrete  of  the  semi- 
tone, for  the  free  expansion  and  ])iercing  energ}'  of  the  third  or 
fifth,  octave,  double  octiive  or  more,  in  its  concrete  and  tremulous 


I 


THE   TREMOR   OF   THE   VOICE.  363 

forms.  This  is  tlic  cause  Avhy  in  hysteria,  -which  is  usualy  brough* 
on  by  distress,  or  other  congenial  states  of  mind,  the  ordinary 
course  of  plaintive  expresion  is  overruled;  and  as  tlie  more  moder- 
ate forms  of  this  nervous  excitement  are  signified  by  the  semitonic 
intonation,  it  sends  forth  its  higher  gusts,  in  the  concrete  scream 
and  yell  of  the  widest  intervals  and  waves,  mingled  with  a  like 
exageration  of  its  tremulous  energy,  in  the  wildnes  of  an  idiotic 
laugh :  idiotic,  because  a  motiveles  and  imbecile  confounding  of 
the  laws  of  vocal  expresion.  Altho  this  hysteric  expresion  may, 
when  judiciously  aplied,  be  both  proper  and  efective,  in  an  ex- 
traordinary scene  of  the  drama;  yet  as  it  is  generaly  acompanied 
with  considerable  grimace,,  is  strongly  impresive,  and  can  be  well 
heard  in  the  remote  corners  of  the  Galcry,  it  is  apt  to  be  employed 
on  the  Stage,  as  a  vocal  trick  ;  especialy  by  the  Actres,  who  with- 
out perceving  its  apropriate  ocasion,  which  rarely  ocurs,  has  yet, 
by  ambitious  practice,  or  nervous  habit,  a  skilful  comand  over  its 
mechanical  execution. 

It  requires  more  than  comon  facility  of  voice  to  perform  the 
tremor  with  precision  and  elegance.  Its  full  eficacy  and  graceful 
finish  is  acomplished,  by  giving  it  the  greatest  number  of  tittles  of 
which  the  asuraed  interval  is  susceptible ;  by  making  these  tittles 
in  fluent  skips,  with  a  distinct  acent,  with  a  ready  progresion  on 
the  simple  interval  and  the  wave,  and  with  a  median  stres  on  the 
waves  of  these  tittelar  skips.  It  may  be  aded,  that  the  tittelar 
movement  on  long  quantity,  generaly  in  speech,  and  always  in 
continued  laughter,  employs  the  wave. 

As  this  tittelar  movement  of  the  tremor  is  aplied  to  all  intervals 
both  a.scending  and  descending,  and  to  the  wavej  it  has  under 
these  aplications,  the  degree  and  variety  of  their  several  characters. 
On  a  downward  interval  of  the  fifth,  the  expresion  will  be  of  a 
graver  cast  than  on  a  rise  of  the  same  extent ;  and  on  the  rising 
second  it  will  have  less  gayety  than  on  the  rising  fifth  or  octave,  or 
their  waves. 

After  the  preceding  view  of  the  simple  intervals,  and  of  the 
tremor,  the  Reader  will  perhaps  be  able  to  recognize,  and  with  the 
antioipativc  reso\irccs  of  science,  even  to  fore-hear  the  efect  of  their 
detailtxl  combinations.  If  with  all  I  have  said,  lie  will  not  do 
this  for  himself,  it  would  be  to  no  purpose  to  do  it  for  him.    It 


364  FORCE   OF   VOICE. 

is  an  agreeable  ofice  to  stand  prompter  to  a  pausing,  yet  a  ready 
comprehension  :  but  it  is  an  irksome  duty,  to  be  obliged  to  push 
an  unwiling  intelect  on  to  the  last  sylable  of  its  part. 


SECTION  XXXIV. 

OJ  Force  of  Voice. 

This  Mode  of  the  voice  is  subdivided  into  forms  and  degrees. 
These  degrees,  without  much  precision,  are  denoted  in  comon  lan- 
guage by  the  words,  loud,  soft,  strong,  and  weak.  Indefinite  as 
the  rule  may  be,  yet  taking  comon  conversation  as  a  dividing  line 
between  the  strong  and  the  weak,  in  speech,  we  might  aply  the 
terms  Forte  and  Piano,  as  relative  degrees  severaly  above  and 
below  it. 

Force  may  be  aplied  to  phrases,  or  to  one  or  more  sentences,  for 
the  purposes  of  energetic  expresion  ;  or  to  single  words,  and  to 
sylables ;  or  to  certain  Parts  of  the  concrete  movementj  to  distin- 
guish them  from  other  words  and  sylables,  and  from  other  Parts 
of  the  concrete. 

Writers  on  elocution,  and  school  books  on  the  art  of  reading, 
give  general  rules  for  enforcing,  and  reducing  the  voice,  in  con- 
tinued speech.  It  is  not  necesary  to  swell  tlie  bulk  of  this  volume, 
by  transcribing  them.  We  may  however  inquire,  on  what  princi- 
ple various  degrees  of  force  are  conected  with  the  circumstances  of 
the  speaker,  or  with  the  state  of  his  mind. 

From  the  wide  reach  of  an  intense  exertion  of  the  voice,  there 
is  an  obvious  propriety  in  its  employment,  when  distance  is  pic- 
tured in  discourse.  The  indication  of  ncarncs,  on  the  contrary,  is 
well  expressed  by  an  abatement  of  that  force. 

Secrecy  mufles  itself  against  discovery  by  a  whisper;  and  doubt, 
while  leaning  towards  a  positive  declaration,  cuningly  subdues  his 
voice,  that  the  imprcsion  of  his  posible  eror  may  be  least  exciting 
and  durable. 


FORCE  OF   VOICE.  365 

Ccrtiiinty,  on  the  other  hiuid,  in  the  confident  desire  to  be  heard, 
is  positive,  distinct,  and  forcible. 

Anger  declares  itself  with  energy,  becaiise  its  charges  and  denials 
are  made  with  a  \vide  apeal,  and  in  its  own  sincerity  of  conviction. 
A  like  degree  of  force  is  employed  for  pasions  congenial  with 
anger ;  as  hate,  ferocity  and  revenge. 

All  thots  and  pasions  unbecoming  or  disgraceful,  smother  the 
voicej  with  a  desire  to  conceal  even  the  voluntary  uterance  of  them. 

Joy  calls  aloud,  for  companionship  in  the  overflowing  charity 
of  its  satisfaction. 

Bodily  pain,  fear,  and  tcror,  are  also  forcible  in  their  exprcsion ; 
with  the  double  intention,  of  sumoning  relief,  and  repeling  the 
ofending  cause  when  it  is  a  sentient  being.  For  the  sharpnes  and 
vehemence  of  the  ful-strained  and  piercing  cry  are  universaly 
painful  or  apaling  to  the  animal  car. 

In  suposing  why  certain  degrees  of  force  are  conectcd  with  cer- 
tain states  of  mind,  we  have  perhaps  ventured  too  far  towards  the 
presumptuous  notion  of  Final  Causes.  And  altho  we  may  have 
therein  transiently  strayed,  let  us  not  forget  the  duties  of  Science. 
It  is  her  office,  first  to  inquire  how  things  exist ;  the  knowledge  of 
why  they  so  exist,  must  be  the  last  act  of  favor  which  time  and 
toil  will  bestow.  Our  steps  over  the  works  of  man,  may  go  hand 
in  hand  with  the  comprehension  of  their  final  causes;  for  the 
author  can  tell  us  the  narow  purpose  of  their  parts.  But  the 
great  circle  of  acomodated  final  causes  in  Nature,  will  be  unfolded, 
only  in  the  last  recapitulating  chapter  of  her  infinite  revelation. 

In  the  section  on  Accnt  and  on  Emphasis,  we  shall  speak  of 
Force  or  stres  on  single  words.  Here  we  consider  the  remarkable 
aplication  of  strcs,  to  diferent  parts  of  the  concrete  sylable  itself, 
as  described  and  ilustrated  in  the  second  section.  By  experi- 
ment we  learn,  that  the  varied  efects  of  stres  are  sevcraly  per- 
c-eptible,  on  the  bcgining,  the  middle,  and  the  end  of  the  concrete 
movement,  and  when  heard  in  imediatc  sucesion  at  its  two  ex- 
tremes ;  that  the  same  force  may  be  so  continued  thruout  the 
concrete,  as  to  alter  the  characteristic  feeblenes  of  the  vanish  ;  and 
that  while  the  relative  structure  of  the  sini{)le  radical  and  vanish 
remains  the  same,  force  may  magnify  proportionaly  the  whole  of 
the  concrete. 


366  THE   EADICAL  STRES, 

These  streses  we  severally  name,  the  Radical,  the  Loud  concrete, 
the  Median,  the  Compound,  the  Vanishing,  and  the  Thoro  stres ; 
as  in  the  folowing  diagram^ 


where  I  have  visibly  ilustrated  the  audible  character  of  the  forms 
of  stres  on  the  concrete,  to  be  described  in  the  six  folowing  sec- 
tions. The  Reader  is  however  to  observe,  that  for  the  proper 
Radical  stress,  which  is  not  shown  in  the  diagram,  the  initial  open- 
ing should  be  represented  proportionaly  to  the  vanish,  fuler  and 
more  abrupt  than  it  is  in  the  symbol  of  the  sunple  concrete. 


SECTION  XXXV. 

Oj  the   Radical  Stres. 

The  Radical  stres  consists  in  an  Abrupt  and  forcible  uterance 
at  the  begining  of  the  concrete  movement :  and  we  may  pcrceve, 
in  the  peculiar  character,  and  exprcsion  of  this  important  stres, 
a  suficient  ground  for  considering  abruptnes  a  generic  mode  of  the 
voice. 

The  simple  concrete,  described  in  the  second  section,  and  here 
caled  simple,  to  distinguish  it  from  its  stresful  forms  and  from 
the  wave,  is  represented  in  the  above  diagram,  as  having  an  initial 
fulnes ;  but  the  function  now  under  consideration  is  cluiracterized 
by  a  more  suden  explosion,  at  the  firet  opening  of  the  voice ;  the 
subsequent  vanish  being  caricd  on  in  the  diminishing  structure  of 
the  simple  concrete.     So  few  speakers  are  able  to  give  a  radical 


THE   RADICAL  STRES.  367 

strcs,  witli  this  nionientarv  burst,  and  therefore  able  to  compre- 
Iiend  exactly,  the  description  of  it,  that  I  must  draw  an  example 
from  tlie  efort  of  coughing.  A  single  impulse  of  coughing  is  not 
in  all  points  exactly  like  the  abrupt  voice  on  sylables;  for  that 
single  impulse  'is  a  forcing  out  of  almost  all  the  breath ;  which  is 
not  the  case  in  sylabic  uterance :  yet  if  the  tonic  clement  a-we 
be  employed  as  the  vocality  of  a  sudcn  cough,  its  abru])t  opening 
will  truly  represent  the  function  of  radical  stress,  when  ased  in 
discourse. 

The  clear  and  energetic  radical  stres  must  be  preceded  by  a 
cessation  of  the  voice.  There  seems  to  be  a  momentary  oclusion 
in  the  larynx,  or  somewhere,  to  speak  with  caution,  by  which  the 
breath  is  bared  and  acumulated  for  the  purpose  of  a  full  and  suden 
discharge.  This  oclusion  is  more  under  comand,  and  the  explosion 
is  more  suden,  on  sylables  begining  with  a  tonic  element ;  or  with 
an  abrupt  one,  preceding  a  tonic ;  for  in  the  last  instance,  the 
arlicidativc,  if  there  is  any  diference  between  them,  is  combined 
with  the  voGol  oclusion.  When  a  sylable  begins  with  a  subtonic, 
or  with  an  atonic  which  is  not  abrupt,  the  full  degree  of  explosion 
Ls  not  })racticable,  as  in  tnanful,  foster.  If  such  words  are  pro- 
nounced with  vehement  stres,  there  is  always  an  interuption  of 
the  voice  after  the  initial  element,  in  or/,  in  the  examplcsj  to  alow 
the  succeding  tonic  the  full  force  of  a  radical  explosion.  This 
acount  may  explain  more  particularly  the  part  performed  in  into- 
nation, by  suUtonic  elements  at  the  begining  of  sylables.  It  was 
said  in  treating  of  sylabication,  that  the  subtonic  does  not  always 
make  a  part  of  the  concrete  movement ;  for  should  it  have  more 
than  a  momentary  quantity,  it  is  continued  upon  the  same  line  of 
pitch,  till  the  suceding  tonic  opens  with  a  proper  radical,  and  then 
finishes  the  concrete.  This  ocurs  on  most  ocasions ;  for  were  it 
posible  to  ojjen  a  tonic  with  so  feeble  a  radical,  that  it  may  seem 
absolutely  to  join  itself  with  a  subtonic,  which  has  previously 
risen  partly  thru  the  concrete,  still  there  is  so  much  of  the  abrupt 
fulnes  in  the  usual  uterance  of  a  tonic  element,  that  it  generaly 
asumes  to  itsc^lf  the  first  point  in  the  interval. 

When  an  imutable  sylable,  begining  with  a  subtonic,  is  pro- 
longed by  oratorical  license,  it  can  be  efected  only  in  two  ways. 
By  continuing  the  subtonic  on  a  level  line  of  pitch,  till  tin;  short 


368  THE    llADICAL   STRES. 

tonic  opening  with  its  radical,  completes  the  sylable  with  its  rapid 
vanish ;  or  by  protracting-  the  short  tonic,  as  the  note  of  song. 
Of  these,  the  first  changes  least,  the  character  of  the  sylable ;  but 
in  each,  there  is  a  disagreeable  drawling  pronunciation.  This 
may  be  exemplified  on  the  element  I  in  the  words  let  and  jilack, 
when  so  prolonged.  We  had  some  years  ago,  a  Player,  from 
abroad,  with  so  many  shocking  faults,  that  the  Town,  with  unin- 
tended irony,  was  all  in  an  uproar  about  his  extraordinary  powers ; 
and  who,  when  quantity  was  desirable  on  these  imutable  sylables, 
would,  instead  of  yielding  to  that  imutable  fatej  give  an  afected 
drawl  to  the  subtonic  element.  I  remember,  the  whole  philosophy 
of  this  Actor's  Histi'ionism  was  included  in  what  he  and  his  School 
called  '  Identity  : '  the  meaning,  or  rather  the  empty  mysticism  of 
which,  will  be  noticed  hereafter. 

The  power  of  giving  a  strong,  full,  and  clear  radical  stres  to  a 
tonic  element,  is  not  a  comon  acomplishment  among  speakers ;  yet 
the  free  and  proper  management  of  this  abrupt  function  is  highly 
important  in  elocution.  Its  two  principal  purposes  arej  to  con- 
tribute to  the  clearnes  of  articulation,  and  to  form  the  distinguish- 
iug  acent  and  emphasis  on  imutable  sylables.  These  sylables  not 
alowing  the  slow  concrete,  and  being  incapable,  as  will  be  shown 
hereafter,  of  bearing  the  other  forms  of  stres,  the  abrupt  or  ex- 
plosive enforcement  of  the  radicixl,  apart  from  intonation  and 
vocality,  is  their  only  means  for  emphatic  distinction. 

Having  pointed  out  the  purpose  and  efect  of  the  .radical  stress, 
in  articulation,  this  is  perhaps  the  place  to  consider  the  means  for 
insuring  the  distinct  audibility,  and  elegance  of  sylabic  pronuncia- 
tion. 

This  subject  has  three  divisions :  the  First  embraces  a  consid- 
eration of  the  specific  sounds,  which  the  changeable  decrees  of 
human  convention  give  to  the  alphabetic  elements.  The  Second 
regards  the  subject  of  radicid  stress ;  and  the  Third,  an  apropria- 
tion  of  the  several  constituent  elements  of  a  sylable,  to  the  con- 
crete movement. 

The  First  of  these  maters  is  like  a  republiciui  government, 
under  the  rule  of  any  body :  and;  until  some  extraordinary  revo- 
lution shall  bring  every  body  to  yield  their  discordant  Wills  to  a 
convenient  agreenientj  is  therefore  very  properly  to  be  excluded 


I 


THE    RADICAL   STRES.  369 

from  the  discusioiis  of  a  pliilosophy  that  desires  to  be  exact  and 
efectual  in  its  instruction.  How  can  we  hope  to  establish  a  system 
of  elemental  pronunciation  in  a  lanfina^c,  when  Great  Mastci^  in 
Criticism,  and  the  whole  literary  School,  condemn  at  once,  every 
atempt  in  so  simple  and  useful  a  labor,  and  so  easy,  when  once 
taken  gradualy  in  hand,  as  the  corection  of  its  6rthogra])hy. 

Suposing  then  the  sounil  of  the  elements  to  be  precisely  what 
temporary  authority  has  determinedj  the  clearnes  of  j)ronunciation 
will  depend,  in  the 

Second  case,  on  the  efective  execution  of  the  radical  stres. 
Although  every  element  should  be  heard  in  the  sylabic  impulse, 
yet  the  tonic  is  generaly  the  most  remarkable  in  the  compound. 
The  characteristic  of  the  sylable,  therefore,  lies,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, within  this  element ;  and  a  full  explosive  radical  stress  upon 
it,  contributes  much  to  distinct  pronunciation.  It  is  this  which 
draws  the  cuting  edge  of  words  across  the  ear,  and  startles  even 
stupor  into  atention ;  this,  which  lesens  the  fatigue  of  listening, 
and  out-voices  the  murmur,  and  unruly  stir  of  an  asembly ;  and 
a  sensibility  to  this,  by  a  general  instinct  of  the  animal  ear,  which 
gives  authority  to  the  groom,  and  makes  the  horse  submisive  to 
his  angry  acent.  Besides  the  fulnes,  loudnes,  and  abruptnes  of 
the  radical  stres,  when  employed  for  distinct  and  forcible  articu- 
lation, the  tonic  sound  itself  should  be  a  pure  vocality.  When 
mixed  with  aspiration,  it  loses  the  briliancy,  that  serves  to  increase 
the  impresive  efect  of  the  explosive  force. 

Third.  The  principles  of  the  sylabic  com})ound,  set-forth  in  this 
esay,  aford  aditional  means  for  acquiring  what  is  called  distinct 
articulation.  In  order  to  insure  a  clear  and  striking  uterance,  the 
whole  sylable  should  be  not  only  suficiently  loud,  but  each  ele- 
mentary constituent,  rejecting  redundant  elements,  should  be  so 
distinct,  as  to  prevent  the  posibility  of  confounding  sylables,  having 
the  simie  tonic,  yet  difering  ])artialy  or  universaly  in  their  sub- 
tonics.  This  is  efected,  by  distributing  the  time  and  movement  of 
the  concrete,  properly  among  the  elements  of  the  given  sylable ; 
and  will  be  exj)lained  by  a  particular  instance.  I  once  heard  the 
Actor,  above  abided  to,  pronounce  the  word  plain,  by  prolonging 
the  voice  on  I,  and  then  terminating  the  sylable,  by  a  momentary 
transit  on  ain.     And  altho  in  this  case,  I  was  clearly  audible,  yet 


370  THE   RADICAL  STRES. 

the  rapid  fliglit  and  blending  of  a  and  n  rendered  the  character 
of  the  whole  sylable  both  faint  and  confused.  One  of  the  conse- 
quences of  this  imperfect  pronunciation,  and  it  was  a  comon  fault 
with  the  popular  Actor,  was,  that  on  turning  his  face  from  the 
audience  while  speaking,  many  of  his  words,  audible  as  inarticu- 
late sounds,  were  uninteligible  to  an  atentive  ear,  at  medium  dis- 
tances in  the  theater.  A  practice  like  this,  obstructs  the  equable 
flow  of  the  concrete,  and  overrules  the  proper  aportionment  of 
time  to  the  constituents  of  a  sylable.  For  when  each  element  of 
plain,  has  its  due  proportion  of  time  and  of  the  concrete,  the 
uterance  of  the  whole  word  will  be  just  and  satisfactory. 

The  principles  of  articulate  uterance  under  this  third  head,  may 
be  exemplified  in  the  folowing  sentence : 

Not  that  I  loved  Caesar  less,  but  that  I  loved  Rome  more. 

Should  we  give  emphatic  importance  to  the  word  more,  soley  by 
the  extent  of  quantity,  and  not  by  peculiarity  of  intonation ;  and 
should  this  quantity  be  spread  upon  an  unequal  wave  of  the  rising 
second  and  faling  fifth,  with  a  view  to  give  a  feeble  cadence  to  the 
dignified  extension  of  the  word  :  then,  in  asigning  the  elements,  if 
m  rises  by  the  second,  and  is  continued  downward  nearly  the  whole 
extent  of  a  fifth,  the  o  and  r  being  rapidly  made  at  its  closej  the 
articulation  will  be  imperfect.  AVhen  the  time  of  the  wave  is 
divided  into  three  parts  severaly  about  equal,  and  the  m,  o,  and  r, 
are  respectively  asigned  to  these  parts,  the  word  will  be  properly 
pronounced. 

Many  imutable  sylables  begining  with  a  subtonic,  are,  in  the 
curent  of  dignified  uterance,  particularly  in  the  reverentive  style, 
sometimes  prolonged  beyond  the  limit  of  their  solitary  or  gram- 
atical  time.  When  this  practice  is  asumed  by  oratorical  licensej 
without  a  knowledge  of  this  equalizing  precept  that  should  direct 
itj  the  adcd  quantity  is  gcneraly  expended  wlioly  on  the  initial 
subtonic.  If  the  sylables  not,  met,  roek,  lit,  that,  and  vie,  are  \\i\- 
usualy  prolonged,  there  is  less  departure  from  corect  pronuncia- 
tion, by  giving  the  aditional  quantity  to  the  subtonics,  than  to 
the  tonics.  Still  there  is  a  want  of  that  distinctnes  by  which  a 
sylable  is  imediately  recognized ;  for  sylables  arc  known  in  part. 


THE   MEDIAN   STRES.  371 

by  the  htibit  of  their  quantity,  both  in  the  absolute  time  of  the 
whole,  and  the  comparative  time  of  their  constituent  elements. 
In  eaeii  of  the  above  instances,  the  time  of  the  several  elements 
should  strictly,  be  about  equal,  but  by  suposition,  they  are  not ; 
for  when  the  subtonic  is  unduly  extended,  the  tonic  and  the  fol- 
owini>;  abrupt  element  have  only  their  proper  momentary  duration. 

And  this  disproportionate  time  of  the  elements,  here  asigncd  as 
the  cause  of  indistinctne&s  in  speech,  is  still  more  frequently  a 
cause  of  inarticulate  pronunciation,  in  the  Singing  voice. 

In  the  instances  of  the  words  plain,  and  more,  the  time  of  the 
concrete  should  be  aportioned  equaly  among  the  elements ;  and 
this  is  necesary  in  the  reverentive  style,  for  the  elegant  and  im- 
presive  uterance  of  other  sylables,  having  a  similar  construction. 
Yet  we  cannot  give  a  universal  rule  on  this  point ;  such  indefinite 
sylables,  as  men,  run,  I'm,  and  gel,  having  their  prolongation  on  the 
several  subtonic,  will  not  bear  adition  to  the  short  tonic  elements. 

Radical  stres  is  aplied  to  imutable,  mutable,  and  to  indefinite 
sylables.  In  the  first  case,  the  shortnes  of  the  quantity  produces 
as  it  were,  only  an  explosive  point  of  sound.  It  may  be  used  on 
the  initial  of  all  concrete  intervals  both  rising  and  faling,  and  on 
the  be<rining:  of  the  wave. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  must  not  be  considered  that  radical 
stres  is  used,  only  to  give  the  distinction  of  loudnes  to  imutable 
sylables;  the  enforcement  is  likewise  apropriate  to  the  various 
states  of  mind  embraced  by  them ;  and  in  the  full  energy  of  its 
abruptnes,  is  a  sign  of  the  highest  degree  of  pasion. 


SECTION  XXXVI. 

Of  tJie  Median  Stres. 

The  Radical  stres  is  principaly  efective  in  distinguisiiing  imut- 
able sylables.  Long  quantities,  admiting  other  means  for  atracting 
the  ear,  more  rarely  require  the  initial  explosive  fulnes.     They 


372  THE   MEDIAN   STRES. 

receve  their  stres,  with  greater  dignity  and  grace,  from  an  enforcing 
of  the  middle  portion  of  the  concrete  movement. 

Radical  stres  is  an  opening  abruptnes  after  a  pause.  The 
Median  is  a  gradual  increase  and  subsequent  decrease  of  fulnes 
in  the  course  of  the  concrete,  similar  to  what  is  caled  a  Swel,  in 
the  language  of  musical  expresion.  There  is  this  diference  be- 
tween them.  The  swel  of  song  is  sometimes  on  a  note  continued 
upon  the  same  line  of  pitch :  whereas  the  median  stres  of  speech 
is  always  in  either  an  upward  or  downward  concrete;  or  about 
the  junction  of  these  oposite  movements,  in  the  wave. 

This  form  of  force  cannot  be  used  on  all  the  simple  intervals  of 
the  scale.  And  as  it  necesarily  calls  for  an  extended  quantity,  it 
is  generaly  aplied  to  the  waves.  Of  the  simple  intervals,  it  is 
practicable,  if  at  all,  only  on  the  fifth  and  the  octave,  slowly  pro- 
longed. When  a  melody  of  the  second  or  of  the  semitone  requires 
the  dignity  of  the  median  stres,  it  is  always  on  the  waves  of  these 
intervals.  In  this  case  the  median  stres  is  aplied  to  the  middle  of 
the  course  of  the  concretes ;  or  about  the  junction  of  the  two  lines 
of  contrary  flexure.  And  it  is  the  same  Math  the  single  wave  of 
every  interval  both  direct  and  inverted.  If  the  median  stress  is 
aplied  to  the  double  wave,  it  is  laid  on  the  course  of  a  downward 
or  an  upward  constituent,  as  the  wave  may  be  direct  or  inverted ; 
for  such  constituent  will  be  in  each  case,  respectively  the  midle 
portion  of  its  whole  extent. 

The  median  stres  is  aplicable  to  the  tittelar  waves  of  the  tremu- 
lous scale ;  and  in  efect,  only  enforces  the  character  of  the  tittles 
and  their  rapid  concrete  at  the  junction  of  the  intervals  of  a  single 
wave,  or  on  the  midle  constituent  of  a  double  one.  When  so 
employed,  it  gives  energy  to  the  expresion  of  the  tremor,  and 
afords  variety  to  the  ear. 

Inasmuch  as  fortic  under  any  form,  may  be  used  with  other' 
means  of  expresion,  its  principal  purpose  in  combination,  is  to 
extend  the  power  of  those  other  means.  The  median  stres  on  the 
wave  of  the  second  gives  dignity  to  the  diatonic  melody  ;  on  the 
wave  of  the  semitone,  it  increases  its  plaintivenes ;  on  the  down- 
ward fifth  and  octave,  if  practicable,  it  adds  to  the  degree  of  its 
wonder  or  positivencs ;  on  the  rising  fifth  and  octave,  if  })racti- 
cable,  it  sharpens  interogation ;  and  on  the  wider  waves  gives  dig- 


THE   MEDIAN   STRES.  373 

nity  and  force  to  their  several  expresions.  We  have  said,  tlie 
radical  stres  has  an  energy  sometimes  amounting  even  to  violence. 
But  the  me<1ian,  n«nv  under  consideration,  sets-forth  intensity  of 
voice,  Avith  greater  dignity,  and  elegance,  than  all  the  other  forms 
of  force.  The  radical  stres  having  an  abrupt  opening,  and  the 
vanishing,  as  will  be  shown  presently,  having  a  suden  termination, 
there  is  a  sharp  earnestnes  in  their  maner,  not  conveyed  by  the 
median ;  the  aim  and  power  of  which  *  in  the  very  torent  of  ex- 
presion,'  is  to  *  beget  a  temj)erance  that  may  give  it  smoothnes.' 

Here  pardon  me,  Reader,  when  I  pass  from  instruction  to 
eulog>'. 

If  she  could  now  he  heard,  I  would  point  in  ilastration  to 
Britain's  great  Mistres  of  the  voice.  Since,  alas,  that  cannot  be, 
let  those  who  have  not  forgotcn  the  stately  dignity  of  Mrs.  Siddons, 
bear  witnes  to  the  efect  of  the  graceful  vanish  of  her  concrete,  and 
of  that  sweling  voice  of  median  energy,  by  which  she  richly  en- 
forced the  expresion  of  joy,  and  surprise,  and  indignation.  Yet 
why  should  I  be  so  sparing  in  praise,  as  to  select  her  eminent 
exemplification  of  the  single  subject  before  usj  when  it  seems  to 
my  recolectionj  a  whole  volume  of  elocution  might  be  taught  by 
her  instances. 

It  is  aparently  a  partial  rule  of  criticism,  but  when  drawn  from 
delicate  perceptions,  enlightened  by  cultivation,  it  is  the  bestj  to 
estimate  the  merit  of  Actors,  by  their  power  of  audibly  represent- 
ing the  varied  thot  and  pasion  of  their  language,  which  the  con- 
senting thut,  and  j^asion  of  the  hearer  is  whispering  to  itself. 
This  is  the  rule,  that  in  my  early  days  of  ignorance,  but  not  of 
unmindful  inquiry,  set  up  this  great  Woman's  voice,  as  a  miror 
for  every  trait  of  natural  expresion,  in  which  one  might  recognize 
his  deep,  unutered  sympathy,  and  love  the  flatcring  picture  as  his 
own.  All  that  is  smooth,  and  flexible,  and  various  in  intonation, 
all  that  is  impresive  in  force,  and  in  long-drawn  time,  all  that  is 
apt  upon  the  countenance,  and  consonant  in  gesture,  gave  their 
united  energy,  gracefulnes,  grandeur,  and  truth,  to  this  one  great 
model  of  Ideal  Elocution.  Pier's  was  that  higlit  of  excclencc, 
which,  defying  mimicry,  can  be  made  ])erceptiblc  in  character  only 
by  being  equaled. 

Such    was    my  enthusiastic   yet    unsatisfied    opinion,  before   a 


374  THE   MEDIAN  STRES. 

scrutiny  into  speech  had  developed  a  boundles  scheme  of  criticism 
and  instruction ;  which,  in  admiting  tliat  Nature  may  hokl  within 
her  laws,  the  unrevealed  power  of  producing  ocasional  instances 
of  rare  acomplishment  of  voice ;  yet  asures  us,  that  nothing  except 
the  influence  of  some  system  of  principles,  founded  on  a  knowl- 
edge of  those  laws,  can  ever  produce  multiplied  examples  of  ex- 
celence,  or  give  to  any  one  the  perfection  of  art.  There  is  a  per- 
vading energy  in  Observative  Science  which  searches,  discovers, 
gathers-together,  co-aranges,  still  amplifies,  and  completes;  and 
which  all  the  means  of  uninstructed  efort  can  never  reach.  I  do 
not  wish  to  be  asked,  how  this  '  most  noble  mother '  of  her  Art, 
with  only  those  unwriten  ordinations  of  nature,  that  still  alowed 
her  to  incur  the  dangers  of  the  scanty  doctrines  of  her  Schoolj 
would  be  acounted  by  the  side  of  another  Siddons,  making  her 
selections  \vith  propriety  and  taste,  from  the  familiar  rudiments, 
and  measurable  functions  of  the  voice ;  and  able,  by  the  authority 
of  a  directive  and  unindulgent  discipline,  to  be  a  wary  critic  over 
herself.  With  a  full  reliance  on  the  surpasing  eficacy  of  scientific 
instruction,  still,  in  the  contentment  of  recolection,  I  would  not 
wish  to  answer  this  question. 

The  vision  of  the  Great  Actress  is  before  me  !  If  I  am  beset 
by  an  ilusion,  which  another  hearing  might  dispel,  I  rejoice  to 
think  I  can  never  hear  her  again.* 

*  In  the  title  'most  noble  mother,'  I  refer  to  the  salutation  of  Coriolanus  to 
Volumnia:  for  it  is  in  this  character  Mrs.  Siddons  always  comes  like  a  speak- 
ing picture,  upon  my  memory;  embodying  the  pathos,  the  matron  dignity, 
and  the  indignation,  together  with  the  other  moral  solemnities  of  the  scene 
of  intercesion  in  the  Volcian  camp. 


THE  VANISHING   STRES.  375 

SECTION  XXXVII. 

OJ  the  Vanishing  Strcs. 

Our  description  of  the  simple  concrete  of  sj^ecch,  represented  it 
with  an  initial  fulnes,  and  a  gradual  decrease.  The  reverse  con- 
struction indicated  by  the  term  of  this  Stres,  does  change  the  simple 
form  of  the  concrete :  but  I  thot,  even  with  its  verbal  contrariety, 
it  would  be  more  imediately  inteligible,  if  not  more  exactly  de- 
scriptive of  the  function,  than  any  other  less  simple  name.  The 
vanishing  stres  is  an  aj>lication  of  force  to  the  end  of  the  con- 
crete, both  in  its  rising  and  faling  direction.  This  must  nccesarily 
give  a  fulnes,  with  something  like  an  abrupt  termination,  at  the 
place  of  the  vanish. 

The  peculiar  vocal  efect  of  the  vanishing  stres  may  be  ilustratcd 
by  the  function  of  Hicup.  This  hie,  catch,  '  hitch '-congh,  or  hex, 
as  formerly  caled,  has  a  conventional  name,  that  by  etymology, 
describes  its  very  formation  ;  and  from  its  being  instinctively 
practicable,  may  be  the  subject  of  experiment.  The  hiccough  or 
hicup,  then,  is  produced  by  the  gradual  increase  of  the  gutural 
sound,  until  it  Ls  sudenly  obstructed  by  an  ocluded  catch,  somewhat 
resembling  the  element  k,  or  g ;  and  if  it  be  compared  with  a 
single  efort  of  the  comon  cough,  the  abruptnes  in  each  will  re- 
spectively exemplify  the  reverse  diference  between  the  vanishing 
and  the  radical  stres :  for  the  comon  cough  has  the  full  acentcd 
0})ening  of  a  radical,  and  the  hicup,  a  full  acented  closing  at  the 
place  of  the  vanish.  The  hicup  however,  does  not,  in  all  points, 
resemble  the  proper  vanishing  stres  of  speech,  except  the  sylable 
which  bears  the  stres,  terminates  with  an  abrupt  element.  The 
hicup  may  be  made  on  all  intervals  of  the  scale.  In  ordinary 
ca'ics,  it  asumes  that  of  the  second  or  third ;  but  when  atcndcd 
with  great  distres,  as  sometimes  hapens  in  disease,  it  is  heard  in 
the  j)laintive  interval  of  the  semitone. 

The  efect  of  the  vanishing  stress  may  be  heard  in  the  speech  of 
the  natives  of  Ireland ;  many  of  whom  aply  it  to  the  simple  rise, 
or  fall,  or  to  the  wave,  on   all  the  principal  words  of  a  sentence. 


376  THE   VANISHING   STRES. 

It  Is  this  function  which  produces  that  quick  and  peculiar  jerk 
of  sylabic  sound,  in  the  earnest  pronunciation  of  the  ignorant 
ranks  of  that  peculiar  People. 

The  vanishing  stres  is  practicable  on  all  the  rising  and  faling 
intervals  of  the  scale.  On  the  wave,  it  is  aplied  to  the  last  con- 
stituent. 

This  stres,  as  one  of  the  forms  of  force,  gives  to  the  several 
intervals,  a  more  atractive  power  over  the  ear,  than  belongs  to 
their  simple  concretes.  If  perceptible  at  all,  on  the  plain  inex- 
presive  second,  it  adds  that  Irish  jerk  which  only  deforms  without 
enforcing  speech.  On  the  rising  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  it  giv^es 
intensity  to  their  interogation.  On  the  downward  course  of  these 
intervals,  it  increases  the  degree  of  surprise  and  positivenes ;  and 
on  the  wave,  joins  force  to  the  expression  of  its  various  forms. 

The  efect  of  the  vanishing  stress  on  a  semitone,  may  be  heard 
in  the  act  of  Sobing.  This  is  made  on  a  concrete  gutural  sound, 
gradualy  increasing  in  force  and  terminated  in  some  cases  by  the 
ocluded  catch.  The  vanishing  stres  on  the  semitone  in  discourse, 
is  as  it  were,  a  sobing  upon  words,  and  serves  to  mark  intensively, 
the  plaintive  expresion  of  the  simple  concrete. 

The  character  of  discourse  ocasionaly  requires  so  quick  a  time, 
that  only  the  simple  rise  or  fall  can  be  employed;  and  yet,  it 
may  be  necesary  to  designate  clearly,  the  terminative  point  of 
the  interval.  This  is  acomplished  by  the  vanishing  stres.  For  a 
hasty  uterance  of  complaint  or  interogation,  which  has  time  for 
flight  only  in  one  direction,  will,  in  marking  emphaticaly  the 
extent  of  the  interval,  aply  this  terminative  force  to  the  simple 
rise  or  fall  of  the  semitone,  third,  fifth,  or  octave. 

It  was  saidj  the  radical  stres  is  efective,  principaly  in  distinguish- 
ing imutable  sylablcs.  On  these  the  vanishing  stres  is  not  coniza- 
ble.  It  requires  a  longer  quantity ;  and  its  aplication  thereon,  gives 
an  equal  degree  of  force  with  the  median  stres ;  but  it  has  much 
less  dignity  and  grace  than  the  gradual  swell  of  this  last  named 
elegant  maner  of  forcible  expresion. 


THE   COMPOUND   STRES.  377 

SECTION  XXXVIII. 

OJ  the  Compound  Stres. 

Besides  tlio  obvious  effect  of  stres,  when  laid  exclusively  on 
the  begining,  or  niidle,  or  end  of  the  concrete,  the  cultivated  and 
atcntive  ear  recognizes  the  abrupt  opening  of  the  radical,  and  the 
full  termination  of  the  vanishing  stress,  when  used  in  sucesion  on 
the  same  svlable,  both  in  a  risin";  and  faling;  direction.  The  best 
reference,  for  ilustrating  this  Compound  stres,  is  to  what  vocalists 
call  a  Shake :  for  I  shall  show  hereafter,  that  the  characteristic 
of  this  Grace  of  Song,  consists  in  a  rapid  iteration  of  the  concrete 
of  speech,  when  impresed  with  both  the  radical,  and  vanishing 
streses. 

The  compound  stress,  tho  never  aplied  to  the  narow  intervals  of 
the  scale,  is  distinguishable,  on  the  wider  spaces  of  the  fifth,  and 
octave.  It  may  likewise  be  executed  on  the  various  forms  of  the 
wave ;  the  final  stres  being  then  laid  on  the  last  constituent. 

After  what  has  been  said  respectively  of  the  radical  and  the 
vanishing  stres,  this  under  consideration  being  a  compound  of 
thenij  it  is  scarcely  necesary  to  add,  that  it  more  forcibly  denotes 
the  state  of  mind  singly  indicated  by  each  constituent.  This  alter- 
nation of  the  radical,  with  the  vanishing  stres,  is  beautifuly  ex- 
emplifie<l  in  the  rapid  shake  of  song,  and  may  be  deliberately 
executed  on  a  long  sylable,  in  the  speaking  voice ;  yet  its  com- 
pound function  cannot,  on  a  short  quantity,  be  distinguished  from 
the  simple  radical  abruptnes ;  nor  is  there  in  this  case,  time  for  its 
execution. 

Let  us  supose,  a  sylable  of  long  quantity  embracing  an  angry 
or  authoritative  inquiry ;  and  that  the  fifth,  with  prolonged  into- 
nation, is  the  interval  chosen  for  this  interogative.  The  force 
required  here  as  the  sign  of  anger  or  authority,  would  be  repre- 
sented by  the  radical  stres ;  the  ful-marked  extent  of  the  interval 
under  the  increased  force  of  the  ran/Wj,  would  give  a  coresponding 
energy  and  impresiveness  to  the  intcrogation.  The  (H)mpound  sti'cs 
is  however,  by  no  means  an  agreeable  form  of  force.  There  is  a 
25 


378  THE   THOROUGH   STRES. 

snapish  rudenes  in  its  character,  that  should  always  be  avoided  by 
a  good  reader,  except  on  those  rare  ocasions  which  especialy  call 
for  the  peculiarity  of  its  expresion. 


SECTION  XXXIX. 

Of  the  Thorough  Sires. 

This  form  of  force  on  the  concrete  is  produced  by  a  continuation 
of  the  same  full  body  of  voice  thruout  its  whole  course.  It  may 
be  aplied  to  all  the  rising  and  faling  intervals,  and  in  continuation 
to  the  several  constituents  of  the  wave. 

The  character  of  this  stres  may  be  perceved,  by  continuing  an 
octave,  with  the  same  volume  of  voice,  during  its  whole  course, 
as  represented  by  the  last  symbol  in  the  foregoing  diagranij  and 
comparing  its  efect  with  that  of  the  simple  radical  and  vanishing 
octave,  shown  by  the  fii'st.  The  peculiar  character  of  this  con- 
tinued volume,  will  not  only  be  obvious,  but  the  interogative  efect 
of  the  octave  will  be  greatly  obscured  by  it ;  for  the  true  interog- 
ative interval  is,  from  habit,  known  to  the  ear  by  its  atenuated 
vanish,  as  well  as  by  its  extent. 

The  thoro  stres  may  perhaps  be  ocasionally  used  for  some  especial 
emphasis,  on  short  indefinite,  on  imutable,  and  on  mutable  sylables; 
tho  it  is  then  not  distinguishable  from  the  radical  stres.  Its  pecu- 
liar character  on  long  quantities,  in  phrases  and  sentences,  is  that 
of  uncouth  and  rustic  coarsenes ;  and  if  I  may  so  speak,  its  blunt 
impresion  on  the  ear,  seems  alike  related  to  the  delicate  efect  of 
the  equable  concrete,  as  a  rude  sketch  on  the  canvas,  to  the  grace- 
ful lines,  tinted  color,  and  blended  light  and  shadow  of  the  finished 
picture.  With  an  exception  of  the  ocasions  for  its  use,  on  shorter 
quantities,  just  stated,  it  is  to  be  employed  only  for  the  comic 
personation  of  those,  with  whom,  as  a  coaree  deformity  of  speech 
it  is  instinctive ;  or  on  ocasions,  wlicn  from  those  insuficiencics, 
Public-Schooling,  INIorals,  Law,  and  the  Pulpit,  it  may  be  sadly 
necesary  to  meet  the  brutal  tongue,  upon  the  field  of  its  own  vocal 


THE  THOROUGH   STRES.  379 

degradation.  Without  raising  here,  the  blinding  dust  of  argu- 
ment, on  tlie  moral  question  of  returning  good  for  cvilj  the  rule 
is  less  disputable,  that  civility  of  voice  is  not  always  to  be  returned 
to  its  rudcncs.  For  those,  who  by  acidcnt  ever  come  into  contact 
with  the  savage  in  civilization,  know  that  a  hard-voiced  word  of 
retort,  to  a  ruf  addrcs,  has  sometimes  saved  much  subsequent 
verbal,  if  not  worse  contention.  Just  as  a  well-presented  posture 
of  defense  to  a  menaced  atack  has,  from  some  lurking  calculation 
in  a  seeming  courage,  often  prevented  serious  consequences  of 
personal  as  well  ad  national  strife.* 

From  time  almost  imcmorial,  every  man,  and  every  class  of 
men  has  tried  in  vain,  to  satisfy  the  anxious  inquirer,  as  to  the 
exact  sign,  and  comprehensible  character  of  the  true  Christian,  the 
honest  Patriot,  and  the  real  Gentleman.  In  the  last  case.  Aris- 
tocracy and  Democracy,  those  eternal  combatants,  have  always 
been  the  most  remote  from  agreement.  The  later  however,  par- 
ticularly in  Our  Country  of  Equal  Rights,  Overbearing  Corpora- 
tions, and  Desjjotic  Majorities,  having  come  to  a  unanimity,  has 
at  liLSt  with  a  popular  '  logic,'  given  the  aceptable  definition ;  and 
terminated  all  invidious  distinctions,  by  making  every  Man  a 
Gentleman,  and  every  Woman  a  Lady.  Leaving  others  to  review 
the  Census  of  this  vast  and  novel  Genus,  on  those  points  that  may 
have  falen  under  their  discriminating  observationj  it  is  only  our 
part,  to  perceve  among  all  the  generic  similarities,  some  specific 
diferences  of  Intonation.  For  if  that  afable  adress,  that  refined 
reply,  that  vocal  invitation  to  a  well-bred  sociability,  that  delicate 
vanish  which  gently  pases  from  the  ear  to  the  heart ;  if  in  short, 
the  kindly  meaning  of  the  Equable  Concrete,  is  diferent  from  that 
clownish  answer  which  figuratively  repels  us  Avith  a  vocal  frown, 
and  from  that  coldncs  of  thot,  and  death  of  every  complacency 
embraced  within  the  rudenes  of  the  Thoro  Stressj  then  is  he  who 
has  the  gracioas  intonation  which  seems  to  turn  the  stranger  at 
once  into  the  friend,  a  world-wide  diferent  from  that  laconic  Dog 

*  Testimony  might  be  brought  to  the  fact,  that  nothing  on  ocasions,  more 
moderates  the  incipient  insolence  of  a  blackguard  with  all  his  boldness,  than 
the  ready  return  of  an  asumed  phrase  of  tliorostrcsod  and  peace-making  pro- 
fanity, from  a  modest  individual,  with  clean  and  delicate  hands  artd  face,  who 
did  not  seem  to  hold  in  readincs,  a  warning  oath  as  preface  to  a  blow. 


380  THE   THOROUGH   STRES. 

in  office,  with  his  surly  No;  that  fool-wealthy  Ignoramus,  with 
his  bluff  comand ;  and  in  mind  as  Avell  as  in  voice,  from  the 
coarse  and  vicious  vulgarity  of  that  hitherto  unknown  species,  in 
progresive  creation,  the  American  Rowdy.* 

*  I  say,  hitherto  unknown  ;  yet  Ethnologists,  skiled  in  tracing  the  wafted 
seeds,  and  the  offsets  of  nationality,  have  hinted  at  the  'habitat'  of  this  '  pre- 
morse  root'  of  the  voicej  in  the  pasture  of  our  grufy  ancestor  John  Bull ;  or 
in  the  hunting  and  cricket  grounds,  and  in  the  '  wasail  braying-out '  on  the 
Estate  of  the  English  country  Gentleman,  '  all  of  the  olden  time.'  With  this 
Kowdy,  of  whatever  origin,  who  practicaly  personifies  a  compliment  to  our 
astonishing  advancement  in  Morality,  Refinement,  Legislative  Energy,  Law, 
and  in  Statesman-Supervision^  the  rudenes  of  the  slresful  concrete,  is  an  in- 
born vice.  Gipsies  and  thieves  of  the  Old  World  have  a  conventional  slang, 
for  misleading  the  fearles  search  of  justice.  But  the  surpasing  Kowdy  of  the 
New,  knowing  himself  to  be  above  the  law,  boldly  writes  his  threatening 
titles  on  our  walls,  and  openly  proclaims  the  watchword  of  his  conspiring 
Crew.  Among  these  words,  so  caled  from  some  low  conceit  or  other,  are  Boy, 
and  Sir.  Both  of  these  alow  a  delicate  execution  of  the  vanish.  This  how- 
ever is  not  suited  to  the  Rowdy's  character:  and  Nature,  true  to  her  signs  of 
the  good  and  the  bad,  directs  him,  by  another  instinct,  to  give  these  words,  in 
the  warning  intonation  of  the  thoro  stres.  This  coming  to  the  mouths  of  the 
populace,  they  have  made  an  awkward  imitation  of  the  thoro,  by  changing 
it  to  something  like  the  compound  stres.  And  this  leading  to  a  division  of 
the  words  into  two  sylables,  lias  given  us  the  vulgar  slang  of  the  streets,  as 
we  every  where  hear  it,  in  Bo-hoy  and  Sir-ree. 

The  full,  and  the  hair-stroke  lines  of  the  graceful  old  coper  plate  leter,  and 
some  of  the  deformities  of  modern  type,  aford  symbols  for  these  diferent  states 
of  the  concrete.  A  love  of  variety  among  Conventual  Scribes,  once  perverted 
and  distorted  the  Roman  alphabet  almost  beyond  recognition  The  same  efort 
to  overwhelm  taste  with  novelty,  is  now  in  progres  by  the  Sign-painter,  and 
the  Printer  of  placards.  Among  a  thousand  awkward  odities  of  the  Typo- 
founder,  we  can  find  something  just  to  our  purpose.  The  well  finished  form 
of  Roman  capitals,  and  punctuation,  with  their  full,  and  their  vanisliing  lines, 
contrast  remarkably,  as  in  the  folowing  diagram,  with  their  rowdy-looking 
counterparts;  designed  under  that  Widely-Destructive  Principle,  recognized 
in  Popular  Tastcj  of  '  Something  New.'     It  is  I  must  say,  a  notion  ;  but  the 


Roman  C  elegantly  pictures  to  me  the  equable  concrete :  the  rowdy  Type- 
founder's modern  improvement  reminds  me  of  the  coarsenes  of  the  thoro  stres. 
Altogether,  the  contrast  brings  to  mind,  the  diforence  between  the  reported 
ease  of  hand  in  that  graceful  and  celebrated  linear  scrol  by  Appelles,  and  the 
twisting  turns  of  a  crooked  bilet. 


THE    LOUD   CONCRETE.  381 

I  do  not  Sivy,  even  if  it  may  be  often  true,  that  the  man  wlio 
has  no  vanish  in  his  voice,  is  fit  for  'stratagems  and  spoils:'  But 
I  do  belevcj  if  Shaksprare  had  diosen  to  look  i\s  far  into  sj)eech, 
a.s  he  did  into  thut,  pasion,  and  languagej  he  would  have  seen  that 
Nature  has,  in  the  human  voice,  her  especial  sign  of  the  Boorish 
and  Unruly,  as  well  as  of  the  Unnuisical  'soul;'  and  would,  in 
some  of  his  own  fine  analytic  metaphors,  if  not  with  a  mentivity 
aptly  turned  to  explanatory  science,  clearly  have  described  it.  Nor 
is  this  beyond  a  just  estimate  of  the  natural  power  of  his  Pano- 
ramic Observation. 

In  closing  this  section,  we  may  once  more  contrast  the  rude  in- 
tonation of  the  thoro  stres,  with  the  craving  voice  of  the  Hypocrite 
and  the  Sycojihant,  insinuating  their  several  ways  to  authority  and 
favor.  The  Rowdy,  more  true  to  his  violence,  uses  the  heavy 
stres,  to  alarm  the  unwary,  and  is  then  ready  to  break  thru  all 
oposition.  The  subtilty  of  the  others,  without  a  warning  ratle  to 
the  unsuspecting  victim,  abuses  the  delicate,  kind,  and  honorable 
purpose  of  the  social  vanish,  by  its  servile  exces,  and  its  puling 
aplication  to  every  variety  of  sinister  thot,  with  nothing  so  far 
from  it  as  honesty  and  natural  pasion. 


SECTION   XL. 
Of  the  Loud  Concrete. 

By  the  Loud  Concrete,  I  mean  that  impresive  stres  which  dis- 
tinguishes a  given  sylable  from  adjacent  ones;  the  parts  of  the 
concrete  still  retaining  the  ])ro]x)rtional  structure  of  the  radical 
and  vanish.  It  is  only  what  was  called  the  simple  concrete,  mag- 
nified, if  we  may  so  speak,  in  similarity  thruout  its  course,  by 
cmj)hati(t  stres.  It  is  not  obvious  on  a  very  short  ([uantity ;  the 
radical  stres  Ix'ing  there,  the  proper  form  of  force. 

Altho  it  has  no  peculiar  character  of  expresion,  it  will  be  refered 
to,  in  a  future  section,  on  Acent. 


382  THE    TIME    OF   THE    COXCRETE. 

All  the  forms  of  stres,  here  enumerated,  may  be  apliecl  to  the 
tittelar  course  of  the  tremor,  in  the  simple  intervals,  and  in  the 
wave ;  thereby  giving  a  more  marked  expresion  to  the  gayety  of 
laughter ;  to  the  plaintivenes  of  crying ;  to  the  exultation  of 
tremulous  emphasis,  whether  in  rising  or  faliug;  and  to  intero- 
gation. 


SECTION   XLI. 

Of  the  Time  of  the  Concrete. 

The  radical  and  vanishing  movement  was  represented  as  having 
an  equable  continuation  of  its  time,  and  thereby  distinguished  from 
the  protracted  radical  and  protracted  vanish  of  Song. 

The  purposes  of  expresion  sometimes  demand  a  change  of  this 
equability  of  the  concrete,  to  a  quicker  uterance  of  its  begining, 
or  midle,  or  end.  This  condition  of  time  is  closely  conectetl  with 
an  aplication  of  the  diferent  forms  of  stres;  for  it  is  dificult  to 
give  stres  without  runing  into  quicknes  of  time ;  and  as  dificult 
to  give  quicknes  to  time  without  marking  the  rapid  part  of  the 
concrete  with  stres.  The  relation  of  these  functions  is  most  con- 
spicuous in  the  radical  stres ;  for  its  suden  burst  is  necesarily  a 
momentary  quicknes  of  uterance.  The  median  and  the  vanishing 
stres,  when  strongly  emphatic,  likewise  cary  with  them  a  run  of 
time ;  for  there  is  in  these  cases,  an  endeavor,  however  fruitles,  to 
efect,  on  an  unbroken  concrete,  something  like  the  explasion  of  the 
radical.  These  fitful  gusts  of  breath  thru  the  radical,  median,  and 
vanishing  places,  necesarily  ocur  along  with  their  respective  streses, 
on  all  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  and  at  those  points  of  the  wave 
where  the  stres  is  aplied.  There  may  also  be  a  compound  quick 
time  of  the  concrete,  atendant  on  the  compound  stres,  in  the 
prolonged  movements  of  speech.  But  perhaps  this  is  only  a 
refinement  in  observation. 

On  the  whole,  regarding  the  time  of  the  concrete  separately 


THE    ASPIRATION.  383 

from  strcs,  it  is  not  of  j)ractical  importance,  in  cxpresion.  It 
w:\s  my  purpose  to  give  a  histor}'  of  speech.  This  quieknes  was 
perccvetl,  and  it  is  therefore  transiently  noticed. 


SECTION   XLII. 

Of  the  Aspiration. 

We  have  hitherto  learned,  how  the  five  modes  of  the  voice, 
Vocality,  Time,  Pitch,  Abruptnes,  and  Force,  together  with  the 
absence  of  all  impresion  in  the  Pause,  do  by  their  separate  and 
their  mingled  influence  produce  the  varied  efects  of  speech  already 
described. 

The  works  of  nature  are  inexhaustible  paterns  of  permutation ; 
and  the  function  now  to  be  considered,  will  show  aditional  means 
for  diversifying  the  efect  of  those  signs  of  expresion,  heretofore 
described.  The  subject  of  this  section  does  properly  belong  to 
the  Mode  of  vocality ;  but  having  receved  a  place  and  name 
among  the  alphal^etic  elements,  and  having  peculiar  properties,  it 
deserves  a  separate  notice  here.  I  shall  therefore  show  that  the 
element  denoted  by  the  letter  h,  or,  as  it  is  called,  the  Aspiration, 
has  eminent  powers  of  expresion. 

By  caling  h  a  mere  breathing,  some  autjiors  have  asumed  the 
right  to  reject  this  element  from  the  alphabet.  It  may  be  said  in 
truth,  that  aspiration,  as  a  separate  and  unemphatic  element,  is 
feeble,  and  has  not  the  tunable  and  flexile  vocality  of  the  tonics: 
yet  while  harow  and  arow  owe  the  diference  in  their  meanings  re- 
spectively to  the  presence  and  absence  of  tlic  elementj  that  breath- 
ing must  fulfil  the  purpose  of  articulation,  without  conforming  to 
the  exact  definition  of  it.  Notwithstanding,  the  defects  of  aspira- 
tion cannot  be  denied,  under  the  cold  measurement  of  the  grama- 
rian,  it  is  still  pre-eminently  entitled  to  notice,  as  a  powerful  agent 
in  oratorical  expresion. 

The  element  h  is  slightly  susceptible  of  pitch  in  the  whispered 


384  THE  ASPIRATION. 

scale ;  of  abruptnes,  in  a  whispered  eougli ;  and  freely  admits  of 
extended  quantity.  In  this  form,  it  furnishes  the  expresive  inter- 
jection of  Sighing.  It  has,  to  a  certain  degree,  the  variations  of 
force ;  and  under  the  calls  of  emphasis,  is  remarkably  displayed 
on  the  median  stres.  Its  force  may  be  more  efectualy  exerted  on 
the  begining  of  words ;  especialy  those  having  universaly  an  ener- 
getic meaning,  as  havoc,  horor,  and  huza.  It  is  combined  with 
most  of  the  inteijections,  in  every  language. 

Besides  the  above  mentioned  instances  of  its  expresion,  where 
comon  orthography  has  given  it  a  literal  place,  it  is  in  certain 
cases  of  emphasis,  engrafted  on  the  several  tonics  and  subtonics. 
For  tho  aspiration  is  with  its  literal  symbol,  sometimes  a  distinct 
constituent  of  sylablesj  it  may  as  a  mere  suflation,  be  severaly 
united  with  other  elements  having  a  vocality,  without  destroying 
their  individual  characters.  The  vocality  of  the  tonic  is  impaired 
by  the  union ;  for  the  purity  of  a  tonic  element  was  negatively 
defined,  by  declaring  its  freedom  from  aspiration ;  but  the  express- 
ive efect  in  this  case  compensates  for  the  loss  of  purity. 

There  is  some  unknown  mechanism  of  speech,  by  which  the 
strenuous  pronunciation  of  a  tonic  element  l)ecomes  semi-aspirated. 
If  the  word  horible  be  deprived  of  its  aspirate,  it  will  be  imjwsible 
to  give  orible,  in  prolonged  and  energetic  exclamation,  M'ithout 
restoring  in  a  great  degree,  the  initial  aspiration.  The  ques- 
tionj  how  far  this  unavoidable  combination  operated  to  introduce 
the  aspirated  element,  for  the  forcible  expresion  of  mere  animal 
energy,  at  the  date  of  what  is  caled  the  origin  of  language;  we 
leave  to  the  everlasting  disputes  of  those  who  look  for  truth  in 
conjecture,  and  who  teaze  themselves  by  the  notional  pursuit  of 
undiscoverable  things. 

Efforts  of  vociferation  on  sylablcs  which  do  not  contain  the 
letter  A,  nevertheles  assume  the  aspiration,  and  corupt  thereby  the 
pure  character  of  the  tonics.  Nay,  in  the  excesive  force  of  such 
eforts,  the  voice  is  sometimes  lost,  as  it  is  caled,  from  the  atonic 
aspiration  overruling  the  tonic  vocality.  The  character  of  these 
united  functions,  when  forcibly  utered,  may  be  ilustniteil  by  the 
subtonics  y-e,  and  w-o,  respectively  a  compound  of  aspiration 
with  the  monothongs  ce-l,  and  oo-zc.  The  other  tln'ce  monothongs 
e-rr,  e-nd,  i-n,  when  united  with  aspiration,  become  obscurely  the 


THE   ASPIRATION.  385 

basis  of  the  several  other  subtonics.  And  while  the  subtonics  are 
formed  by  the  mingling  of  vocalities  with  aspiration,  they  may 
bear  further  it>^piration,  for  the  j)urpose  of  energetic  expresion. 

The  dipthongal  tonics  do  not  receve  the  aspiration  with  the 
same  efect  as  the  monothongs ;  there  being  something  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  former  that  prevents  as  great  a  change  upon  them,  as 
takes  place  on  the  monothongs,  by  the  union. 

It  was  shown  formerly  that  whispering,  which  is  only  the  ar- 
ticulated form  of  aspiration,  has  its  pitch,  upon  a  succesion  of  dif- 
erent  alphabetic  elements;  yet  whatever  may  be  the  dificulties  of 
this  articulated  intonationj  the  simple  suflation,  when  engrafted  on 
the  tonics,  pases  concretely  thru  all  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  and 
unites  itself  with  every  form  of  stres. 

To  show  how  far  this  function  asists  in  the  expresion  of  speech, 
let  us  keep  in  mind  what  was  said  above,  on  the  instinctive  union  of 
a  vehement  exertion  of  the  voice,  with  its  aspiration  ;  and  consider 
further,  two  forms  under  which  the  simple  aspiration  is  employed. 

One  is  a  sort  of  facetious  coment  of  surprise  and  incredulity,  in 
comon  use,  consisting  of  an  efort  of  aspiration  modified  by  the 
tongue  and  lips,  into  what  is  caled,  in  the  fifth  section,  the  suflated 
whisper.  The  movement  of  this  suflated  interjection  is  that  of  an 
unequal  direct  wave ;  the  first  constituent  being  a  tone  or  wider 
interval,  acording  to  the  required  expresionj  and  the  second,  a 
descent  to  the  lowest  audible  pitch.* 

The  other  effort  of  aspiration,  is  made  by  the  larynx  alone,  and 

*  The  Elocutionist  has  certainly  not  talked  without  his  books;  but  he 
seems  never  to  have  been  concerned  at  not  coniini^  to  his  hearinc^,  among 
their  number  and  confusion^  and  has  been,  and  still  is,  sorely  afraid  of  ad- 
mitiiiijj  a  full  and  precise  nomenclature  into  them.  Our  anal^'sis  now  enables 
us  to  point  out  the  form  of  intonation  in  the  prolonged  and  derisive  inter- 
jection. Whew,  of  the  gramarian  ;  tho  neither  gramar  nor  elocution  has  taken 
the  trouble  to  find  it  out,  and  to  tell  us,  what  it  is.  When  the  Kcader  uters 
this  suflated  interjection,  by  a  descent  from  a  very  high  to  a  very  low  pitch, 
he  will  have  an  ilustration  of  what  was  said  in  the  fifth  section,  on  the  scale 
of  Whisper^  for  this  .suflation,  having  c-ve  at  its  uper  extreme,  and  00-7.P1  at 
its  lower,  will  prove,  by  tho  position  of  these  elements  on  the  scale,  that  it 
pases  thru  two  octaves;  tho  rajiidity  of  tho  concrete  movement,  as  it  seems, 
preventing  the  clear  perception  of  tho  intermediate  elements.  In  this  case, 
the  interjection  difers  from  that  described  in  the  te.xtj  and  is  the  suflation  of 
whew  on  a  double  downward  octave. 


386  THE   ASPIRATION. 

constitutes  the  function  of  Sighing.  It  consists  of  a  simple  inspi- 
ration, followed  by  an  expiration,  more  or  less  prolonged  on  a 
faling  second  or  Avider  interval,  or  a  semitonic  wave,  acording  to 
the  character  and  intensity  of  the  expression.  A  sigh  is  the  well 
known  out-pouring  of  distres,  grief,  and  anxiety,  and  of  fatigue 
and  exhaustion,  both  of  body  and  mind.  As  these  diferent  cases 
include  the  general  powers  of  expresion,  in  simple  and  natural 
aspiration,  we  can  infer j  what  will  be  the  efect  when  this  aspiration 
is  joined  with  the  vocality  of  speech. 

It  may  seem,  but  can  only  seem,  to  be  an  exception  to  the  con- 
sistency of  nature,  that  a  voice,  which  can  asume  the  quiet  form 
of  whisjjer,  should  with  changeful  pur^^ose,  be  found  united  with 
vocality  in  the  most  forcible  exertion  of  speech.  Yet  aspiration 
conjoined  with  the  vehement  forms  of  stres,  becomes  one  of  the 
signs  of  the  greatest  vocal  energy.  Its  union  therefore  with  a 
rising  or  faling  interval  of  the  scale  in  the  Natural  voice,  increases 
the  expresive  power  of  that  interval ;  and  perhaps  adds  the  efect 
of  sneer  to  intonations,  that  in  their  purely  vocal  form  severaly 
convey  surprise,  interogation,  irony,  and  comand. 

Should  this  union  of  aspiration  and  vocality  be  given  with  an 
abatement  of  voice,  aproximating  towards  a  whisper  or  a  sigh,  it 
becomes  the  sign  of  earnestnes  in  various  states  of  mind.  The 
folowing  lines,  when  utered  in  a  pure  vocality,  will  not  have  their 
proper  expresion. 

Hah  !    dost  thou  not  see,  by  the  moon's  trembling  light, 
Directing  his  steps,  where  advances  a  Knight, 
His  eye  big  with  vengeance  and  fate  ? 

Nor  would  their  purpose  be  efected  by  an  aspirated  vocifera- 
tion. But  when  subdued  to  a  kind  of  union  of  the  natural  with 
the  whispered  voice,  the  earnestnes  of  the  apealing  interogation  is 
at  once,  obvious  and  expresive. 

Should  an  abated  voice  be  aspirated  on  the  Tremulous  move- 
ment of  a  second  or  wider  interval,  it  may  denote  aprchension  or 
fear.  When  this  abatement  is  aspirated  on  a  simple  rise  or  fall, 
or  on  a  wave  of  the  semitone,  it  is  an  aproximation  to  the  sigh ; 
and  adds  intensity  to  the  plaintivcnes  or  distres  of  the  semitone 
on  a  pure  vocality.     When  a  tremor  is  supcradcd  to  the  aspirated 


THE   EMPHATIC   VOCULE.  387 

semitone,  tlie  voice  exerts  its  ultimate  means,  for  denotinj^  the 
deepest  sadnes,  without  the  assistance  of  crying  and  tears. 

Aspiration  when  combined  with  diforont  forms  of  strcs,  and 
witli  the  gutural  voice,  to  be  described  presently,  severaly  denotes 
sneer,  contempt,  and  scorn  :  hence  the  means  of  joining  with  nearly 
every  interval  of  intonation  the  expresion  of  these  various  states 
of  mind.  J^ven  the  simple  rising  and  faling  movements,  indi- 
cating inquiry,  surprise,  and  emphatic  afirmation,  may  thus  be 
made  contemptuous;  the  efect  being  more  strongly  marked  by 
aspiration  on  the  wave  in  its  unequal  form. 


SECTION   XLIII. 

Oj  the  Emphatic    Vocule. 

We  learned,  on  the  subject  of  the  alphabetic  elements,  that 
when  the  articulative  oclusion  is  removed  from  the  atonies  and 
subtonics,  there  is  a  slight  and  momentary  but  sudden  issue  of 
voice  which  completes  their  vocality,  and  is  the  only  sound  of  the 
aspirated  abrupt  elements.  This  was  caled  the  Vocule.  It  is  a 
moderate  degree  of  Abruptnes.  Like  all  other  voices,  it  is  suscep- 
tible of  force ;  and  constitutes  the  function  named  at  the  head  of 
this  section.  The  emphatic  vocule  denotes  great  energy ;  and  necefS- 
arily  folows  a  word,  terminated  by  one  of  the  abrupt  elements. 

The  vocules  of  b,  d,  and  7,  are  vocal.  Those  of  k,  p,  and  t,  are 
aspiratedj  yet  under  a  forcible  emphasis,  are  sometimes  changed 
to  vocality.  The  use  of  this  unarticulated  explosion,  at  the  end  of 
an  emphatic  word  is  justified  only  under  a  vehement  state  of  mind; 
and  cautious  management  is  necesary  to  prevent  its  forcible  uter- 
ance  from  pasing  into  rant  or  afectation. 

When  an  abrupt  element  precedes  a  tonic,  the  vocule  is  lost  in 
the  tonic,  which  then  seems  to  isue  directly  from  the  abrupt 
element.  In  the  word  light,  the  vocule  is  distinctly  heard  at  its 
termination ;  but  if  t  imediately  precedes  the  tonic  i,  as  in  tile,  the 


388  THE   EMPHATIC   VOCULE. 

vocule  is  lost,  and  t  is  then  only  a  peculiar  radical  opening  of  i. 
This  is  a  proper  coalescence,  except  the  abrupt  element  terminates 
a  word.  For  in  this  case,  a  junction  of  the  vocule  with  the  tonic 
of  a  folowing  word,  may  confuse  pronunciation  by  destroying  that 
clear  limit  which  should  give  a  separated  individuality  to  every 
word  of  a  sentence.  This  fault  is  sometimes  even  purposely 
asuraedj  to  remedy  a  want  of  physical  energy  in  uterance.  Per- 
sons who  atempt  to  give  unusual  force  to  their  radical  stress,  and 
who  cannot  readily  explode  the  voice  on  a  tonic,  avail  themselves 
of  the  facility  of  bursting-out  from  the  final  abrupt  element  of  a 
word  into  a  succeding  tonic.  If  the  phrase  bad  angels,  should  re- 
quire force,  either  for  emphasis,  or  for  a  distant  auditorvj  the  ex- 
plosion of  d  into  an  would  produce  the  coalescence  bad  dangels,  or 
ba-dangels.  But  as  the  arangement  of  elements  is  a  casual  thing, 
it  must  hapen  that  the  same  word  will  ocur  in  discourse,  both  with 
and  without  a  preceding  abrupt  element ;  and  besides,  the  comon 
exertion  of  force  does  not  require  the  coalescence.  These  circum- 
stances will  prevent  the  effect  of  the  junction  becoming  familiar 
to  the  ear,  and  pasing  for  a  proper  and  constant  character  of  the 
Avord.  A  forcible  pronunciation  acording  to  this  methotl,  will 
therefore  sometimes  create  confusion  in  the  perception  of  words ; 
and  lead  in  most  instances,  to  that  momentary  hesitation  on  the 
part  of  an  audience,  which  prevents  a  ready  comprehension  of  oral 
discourse.  Let  the  phrase  7nusic  sweet  art,  be  pronounced  in  this 
manner,  and  the  combination  will  present  an  image  both  ludicrous 
and  contradictory. 

'  If  what  has  been  said,  on  the  means  for  efecting  distinct  articu- 
lation, by  a  full  and  clearly  formed  radical  stres,  is  strictly  apliod; 
the  designed  purpose  of  this  junction  of  tonic  with  abrupt  elements 
may  be  acomplished  without  interfering  with  the  perception  of  a 
clear  outline  in  the  boundary  of  words ;  for  this  demarkation  is 
riecesary  for  distinct  and  dignified  uterance,  in  the  thotful  purpose 
of  an  exalted  elocution. 

In  the  rapid  energy  of  coloquial  speech,  and  of  the  pasionate 
haste  of  emphatic  discourse,  this  coalescence  of  the  elements  is 
more  liable  to  ocur ;  nor  in  these  instances  can  it  always  be  avoided. 


THE   GUTURAL   VIBRATION.  389 

SECTION  XLIY. 

OJ  the  GtUural  Vibration. 

In  our  section  on  the  -mechanism  of  the  voice,  it  was  said  that 
the  retraction  of  the  root  of  the  tongue,  together  with  a  closure  of 
the  pharynx,  produces  a  contact  of  the  sides  of  tlie  vocal  canal 
above  the  glotis,  and  gives  a  harsh  vibration^  from  the  gush  of  air 
thru  the  straitened  pasage.  This  peculiar  sound  may  be  made  on 
both  tonic  and  subtonic  elements ;  nor  is  their  articulation  much 
afected,  by  union  with  this  Grating  noise.  I  have  caled  this  func- 
tion the  Gutural  Vibration,  on  acount  of  its  aparent  formal  cause. 

This  gutural  function  is  practicable  on  all  the  intervals  of  the 
scale ;  and  it  adds  to  their  respective  characters,  its  own  peculiar 
expresion.  This  expresion  consists  in  the  strongest  degree  of  con- 
tempt, disgust,  aversion,  or  execration ;  and  these  states  are  most 
strongly  marked  on  the  intonation  of  the  waves. 

When  the  gutural  vibration  is  given  with  an  exploded  radical 
stres,  it  makes  the  speaker  himself  feel,  in  its  disruption,  that  the 
efect  must  spread  widely  around  him  ;  and  by  this  combined  per- 
cusive  influence  must,  with  the  fulest  power  of  expresion,  break 
thru  the  ear,  and  so  to  speak,  into  the  very  heart  of  an  audience. 


Having  thus  described  the  peculiar  forijis  and  degrees  of  Vo- 
cality.  Time,  Force,  Abruptnes,  and  Pitch,  and  having  shown  the 
aplication  of  force  to  the  diferent  parts  of  the  concrete^  we  are  now 
prepared  to  consider  their  various  uses  on  single  words  and  sylables, 
comprehended  under  the  terms  Acent,  and  Emphasis.  This  detail 
will  form  respectively  the  subjects  of  the  two  folowing  sections. 


390  OF  ACENT. 

SECTION  XLV. 

Of  Acent. 

Agent  is  defined  in  philology  to  bej  the  Distinguishing  of  one 
sylable  of  a  word  from  others,  by  the  aplication  of  greater  vocal 
force  upon  it.  This  is  a  true,  but  limited  acount  of  acentj  for  it 
will  be  found  that  the  acentual  characteristic  consists  in  a  sylable 
being  brought  under  the  special  notice  of  the  ear.  This  may  be 
done  by  force ;  but  it  may  be  likewise  efected  with  other  audible 
means. 

In  a  mature  language,  no  word  utcred  singly,  except  as  an  elip- 
tical  proposition,  conveys  any  inteligible  relationship  or  meaning. 
Acent,  as  we  use  the  term,  is  an  atribute  only  of  individual  words, 
and  cannot  therefore  embrace  what  is  properly  caled  expresion. 
When  a  word,  either  from  force  or  other  cause,  denotes  a  remark- 
able meaning,  it  constitutes  what  is  called  Emphasis. 

If  we  have  here  acurately  stated  the  diference  between  acent 
and  emphasisj  Acent  may  be  described  in  general  terms,  to  be  the 
fixed,  but  inthotive,  and  inexpresive  distinction  between  the  sylables 
of  a  word ;  and  forming  in  every  word  of  more  than  one,  that 
esential  and  striking  feature,  by  which  thut  or  pasion  is,  when  re- 
quired, cmphaticaly  conveyed.  This  simple  audible-prominence 
of  acent  may  be  efected  by  radical  stresj  the  loud  concretej  and  a 
longer  quantity  on  the  noted  sylable. 

And  First.  Radical  stres  is  the  apropriate  acent  of  imutable 
sylables.  The  word  iterated  has  four  short  sylables,  with  the  acent 
on  the  first.  Its  brevity  not  admitting  the  distinction  of  a  pro- 
longed quantity,  or  even  of  the  loud  concrete,  the  acent  must  be 
made  by  a  suden  burst  of  the  Radical,  into  a  momentary  stres. 
The  acent  may  be  readily  transfercd  to  each  of  the  other  sylables, 
by  giving  the  necesary  degree  of  radical  abruptncs  respectively  to 
them. 

Second.  Sylables  of  suficicnt  length  to  render  the  radical  and 
vanishing  movement  conizable,  admit  of  acentual  distinction  by 
the  Loud  concrete.     In  the  word  PacUngton,  the  three  sylables 


OF   ACENT.  391 

are  of  moderate  length,  and  about  equal.  As  the  first  has  quan- 
tity suficient  to  prevent  the  necesity  of  adopting  the  explosive 
radical  stres,  its  high  acentual  relief  can  be  brought  outj  and 
readily  transfered  to  each  of  the  others,  by  the  loud  concrete  alone. 
Sylables  adapted  to  the  loud  concrete  may  receve  at  the  same  time, 
an  adition  of  the  radical  stres ;  the  former  however  being  adequate 
to  the  inexpresive  purpose  of  acent,  radical  abruptnes  is  unecesary. 

As  the  Thoro  stres  may  sometimes  be  aplied  on  a  moderately 
short  sylable,  it  might  be  asigned,  as  one  of  the  means  of  acent ; 
but  it  is  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  the  radical  stres  and  from 
the  loud  concrete,  on  these  short  quantitiesj  and  therefore  does  not 
here  deserve  a  separate  consideration. 

Third.  When  the  time  or  quantity  of  one  sylable  excedes  the 
time  of  another,  that  quantity,  acording  to  our  definition,  may 
give  an  atractive  or  acentual  distinction;  and  even  unassisted 
by  loudness  or  abruptnes,  sometimes  necesarily  asumes  it.  The 
word  victory,  pronounced  with  the  usual  degree  of  radical  stres 
on  the  first  sylable,  and  the  second  subsequently  prolonged,  as  if 
writen  vic-toe-ry,  has  the  impresive  distinctionj  which  in  this  case 
may  be  caled  the  Temporal  acentj  postponed  to  that  second,  if 
utered  with  comparative  feeblenes,  and  with  all  posible  omision  of 
abruptnes.  Words  which  consist  of  sylables  of  equal  time,  such 
as  needful,  empire,  farewell,  sincere,  and  amen,  easily  undergo  a 
change  of  acent  to  either  sylable,  by  a  slight  adition  to  its  length. 
The  word  heaven,  pronounced  as  one  sylable,  heavn,  has  the  acent 
in  its  long  quantity :  divided  into  two  sylables  of  equal  time,  as  in 
heav-en,  the  place  of  the  acent  is  doubtful,  or  the  word  may  be 
said  to  have  two  equal  acents. 

These  are  the  three  means  for  acentual  distinction ;  acent  being 
the  prominent  and  fixed  feature  that  identifies  a  word,  independ- 
ently of  any  peculiar  meaning  or  expresion.  And  as  they  are 
suficient  to  give  importance  to  sylables,  without  denoting  at  the 
same  time  thot  or  pasion,  which  Ls  the  purpose  of  emphasisj  we 
may  perceve  the  line  of  separation  between  these  functions.  It  is 
true,  emphasis  cannot  exist  without  acent,  for  the  emphatic  is 
always  the  acented  sylable;  and  the  expresive  power  of  intona- 
tion, time,  and  stres  must  give  the  emphatic  sylable  that  atractive 
influence  which  constitutes  the  esential  agency  of  acent. 


392  OF   ACEXT. 

I  have  pointed  out  only  the  radical  stresj  the  thoro  conditionaly 
on  shorter  quantitiesj  and  the  loud  concretej  as  the  causes  of  acent, 
derived  from  force ;  for  the  median,  the  vanishing,  and  the  com- 
pound, are  more  coraonly  used  as  the  means  of  exprcsion:  and 
in  the  plain  j)ronunciation  of  a  single  word,  surely  no  one  does 
employ  these  last  named  forms  of  stres. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  kinds  of  acent  here  enumerated,  are 
represented  independently  of  pitch,  still  they  are  necesarily  aplied 
on  one  or  other  of  its  intervals.  In  plain  narative  or  description, 
the  radical  stres,  and  loud  concrete,  and  perhaps  the  thoro  stres, 
are  joined  Avith  the  tone  ;  and  the  temporal  acent,  when  not  unduly 
prolonged,  may  take-on  the  direct  and  inverted  wave  of  the  same 
interval.  For  this  gives  dignity  to  uterance  by  means  of  its  delib- 
erate movement,  without  conveying  any  peculiar  expresion  incom- 
patible with  the  simple  purpose  of  acent.  This  remark  does  not 
refer  to  acent  on  single  words,  which  has  no  character  either  of 
dignity  or  of  expression. 

The  use  of  the  three  kinds  of  acent,  being  in  a  considerable 
degree  governed  by  the  time  of  sylables,  it  is  desirable  to  know 
the  circumstances  which  render  them  severally  aplicablej  make 
them  easily  changeablej  and  give  them  a  predominant  and  con- 
troling  influence. 

Sylables,  with  regard  to  their  time,  were  aranged  under  three 
clases.  The  Imutable,  Mutable,  and  Indefinite.  Radical  stres  is 
the  means  for  distinguishing  imutable  sylables.  The  loud  concrete 
may  be  given  to  the  mutable ;  as  they  have  suficient  length  for 
the  display  of  force,  without  the  necesity  of  an  abrupt  explosion. 
Indefinite  sylables  admit  of  the  atractive  distinction  of  the  temporal 
acent ;  and  yet  they  are  sometimes  pronounced  equaly  short  with 
the  imutable.  Thus  lo  in  loquacUy,  and  h,  as  an  emphatic  inter- 
jection, exemplify  the  extremes  of  duration.  Hence,  tiio  radical 
stres  may  sometimes  be  used  on  an  indefinite  sylable,  in  its  shortest 
time ;  as  it  is  in  the  acent  of  the  words,  idlcncs  and  ordcrhj. 

Some  words,  consisting  of  a  long  and  a  short  sylable,  alow  the 
acents  of  stres  and  quantity  readily  to  exchange  with  each  other. 
In  the  noun  perfume,  the  length  of  the  last  sylable  yields  to  the 
stres,  with  a  slight  extension  of  quantity,  on  tiie  first :  in  the  verb 
perfume,  the  stres  as  easily  gives  way  to  the  temporal  acent  on  fume. 


OF  AGENT.  393 

Of  all  the  means  by  which  one  acented  sylable  of  a  single  word 
is  embossed  upon  the  ear,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in  higher  relief  than 
others,  the  most  comon  is  that  of  the  temporal  impresion.  In 
English  words  the  acented  sylable  is  generaly  the  longest ;  and 
the  exces  of  length  alonej  without  radical  abruptnes,  or  an  increase 
of  force  on  the  whole  concrete,  above  the  neighboring  sylablesj  is 
suficient  to  answer  the  purposes  of  acentual  distinction.  The 
majority  of  writers,  without  suficient  examination,  have  resolved 
all  acents  into  exces  of  force. 

Inasmuch  as  the  radical  is  the  principal  form  of  stres  for  short 
sylables ;  and  as  the  loud  concrete  may  be  aplied  on  all  but  the 
imutable,  it  may  be  inquired,  whether  stres,  or  quantity  has  the 
greater  influence  in  pronunciation,  by  its  controling  or  excluding 
power.  In  most  words,  this  predominant  influence  is  readily 
changeable;  as  in  Albano,  Cordova,  Ontario,  comemoration,  and 
purlieu ;  the  acent,  of  whatever  kind,  being  in  these  instances  as 
easily  practicable  on  one  sylable  as  on  another.  But  in  words 
with  the  arangement,  and  the  habitual  pronunciation,  of  beguile, 
indeed,  delay,  and  revenge,  the  temporal  acent  cannot  be  de- 
prived of  its  supremacy,  by  a  radical  stres  on  the  first  sylable, 
except  by  an  efort  in  exploding  the  firet,  and  abreviating  the  last. 
For  it  is  sometimes  necesary  to  reduce  the  quantity  of  one  sylable, 
that  the  radical  stres  may  take  the  lead  on  another.  The  acent 
of  the  word  Emanuel,  lies  in  the  extended  time  of  the  second 
sylable.  Scarcely  any  degree  of  abruptnes  can  transfer  the  acent 
to  E,  while  man  retains  its  quantity.  When  this  is  shortened, 
the  first  sylable  E,  may,  under  a  strong  radical  stres,  be  made 
the  leading  acent ;  but  the  word  will  hardly  be  recognized  in  the 
change. 

In  regarding  the  subject  of  acent,  it  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind 
that  a  diference  in  the  vocality  of  the  elementary  sounds,  may  in 
some  cases,  be  mistaken  for  a  diference  in  stres  ;  for  to  many  an 
ear,  ee-\,  and  a-le  might  seem  to  be  surpased  by  ou-v  and  a-we. 
\  If  there  is  that  predominance,  then  vocality  may  sometimes  be  a 
■  cause  of  acent,  or  may  asist  its  influence. 

The  elements  have  diferent  degrees  of  susceptibility,  in  receving 
the  acent.  The  tonics  more  easily  and  conspicuously  take-on  each 
of  its  three  forms.  The  abrupt  elements  are  heard  in  the  vanish- 
26 


394  OF   AGENT. 

ing  stres,  and  asist  the  radical  explosion  on  the  tonics;  yet  are 
utterly  incapable  of  the  loud  concrete,  and  the  temporal  acent. 
The  subtonics  with  little  or  no  power,  under  the  radical  stres, 
fulfil  all  the  purposes  of  quantity ;  the  atonies,  tho  heard  in  the 
emphatic  vocule,  never,  in  proper  and  unafected  speech,  receve 
acentual  distinction. 

The  impresive  agency  of  acent  upon  the  ear,  is  fixed  in  the 
pronunciation  of  the  English  language,  on  one  or  two  sylables  of 
all  words,  with  more  than  one.  It  is  an  abundant  source  of  va- 
riety in  speech ;  forms  in  part,  the  measure  of  our  versification ; 
and  when  skilfuly  disposed,  by  the  adjustment  of  a  delicate  ear, 
produces  with  the  asistance  of  quantity  and  pause,  the  varied 
rythmic  measure  of  prose. 

Some  gramarians  and  rhetoricians,  with  whom  the  inteligent 
Mr.  Sheridan  is  to  be  ranked,  have  set-forth  a  rule,  that  when  the 
acent  fals  on  a  consonant,  the  sylable  is  short ;  and  long  when  on 
a  vowel.  At  school,  I  did  not  regard  this  great  prosodial  princi- 
ple :  now,  I  perceve  it  has  no  foundation.  For  if  acent  is  vari- 
ously produced  by  radical  stres,  the  loud  concrete,  and  by  quantity^ 
a  distinction  of  literal  place  cannot  make  the  suposed  diference. 
The  abrupt  stres  will  always  be  made  on  a  tonic,  (or  vowel,)  not- 
withstanding the  sylable  may  be  opened  on  a  preceding  subtonic, 
or  an  abrupt  element.  The  loud  concrete  must  be  aplied  on  all 
the  elements  without  distinction ;  and  an  acentual  imprcsion  by 
quantity  must  consist  of  the  united  time  of  tonics  and  subtonics^ 
when  the  sylable  is  constructed  with  these  diferent  elements.  All 
this  however,  is  only  a  denial  of  the  trutli  of  the  rule,  on  the 
ground  of  our  own  history  of  acent.  Let  us  hear  how  the  rule 
agrees  with  the  fact  of  pronunciation.  In  the  word  ac-tion,  the 
abrupt  stres  is  on  the  vowel  (tonic)  a  ;  for  c  (k)  in  this  case,  liav- 
ing  no  body  of  sound,  is  but  the  ocluded  termination  of  oj  yet  the 
sylable  is  short;  and  in  re-venge,  the  acent  or  the  greatest  im- 
presion  on  the  ear,  is  from  the  quantity  of  the  subtonics  (conso- 
nants) n,  and  z/ij  and  yet  the  sylable  is  long.  Language  is  full 
of  like  examples ;  and  from  the  ilustration  they  furnish,  we  may 
learn  that  the  time  of  sylables  beat's  no  fi^ved  relation  to  stres,  nor 
to  other  means  of  acentual  agency.  The  })revalent  eror  on  this 
subject  must  be  ascribed  to  the  general  cause  of  all  erors ;  a  want 


OF   EMPHASIS.  395 

of  observation  at  first,  and  the  asumption  of  notions,  to  prevent 
observation  ever  after,  by  those  who  adopt  them. 

Mr.  Walker  has  given  a  theory  of  acent ;  making  it  dependent 
on  the  rising  and  faling  inflection,  as  indefinitely  described  by 
him.  If  the  preceding  history  of  intonation  is  true,  and  if  it  has 
been  clearly  comprehended,  the  Reader  must  conclude,  that  acent 
can  have  no  fixed  relationship  to  a  rise  of  the  voice,  or  to  its  de- 
scent; for  it  is  efected  with  every  esential  characteristic,  under 
either  of  these  oposite  movements j  their  junction  into  the  wavej 
and  under  all  the  changeable  phrases  of  melody. 

Much  has  been  said  by  authors,  on  the  aplication  of  acent.  But 
with  the  sole  means  of  the  Tongue  and  the  Ear,  yet  with  scholastic 
authority  all  around  me,  I  began  this  history  of  the  voice,  with  a 
resolution  to  speak  from  Nature  ;  and  not  after  men,  too  blind  or 
too  proud  to  consult  Her  ever-open,  and  Revealing  Book  of  Speech. 


SECTION  XLVI. 

Of  Emphasis, 

Emphasis  is  defined  to  be  a  stres  of  voice  on  one  or  more  words 
of  a  sentence,  thereby  to  forcibly  impres  the  hearer  with  their 
peculiarity  of  meaning.  Most  writers,  without  seeming  to  consider 
the  subject  of  much  importance,  indefinitely  atribute  to  emphasis, 
a  characteristic  *  tone;'  and  Mr.  Walker  beleved  he  specified  this 
function  under  all  its  conditions,  in  his  general,  and  vague  acount 
of  the  upward  and  downward  inflection. 

But  authority  aside  ;  let  us  try  to  do  something  to  the  purpose, 
by  observing  and  recording. 

It  was  stated,  that  Acent  is  the  fixed,  but  inthotive  and  inex- 
presive  distinction  of  sylables,  by  quantity  and  stres ;  alike  both 
in  place  and  character,  whether  the  words  are  pronounced  singly 
from  the  columns  of  a  vocabulary,  or  conectedly  in  the  series  of 
discourse. 


396  THE   EMPHASIS   OF   VOCALITY. 

Emphasis  is  either  the  thotlve  or  expresive,  yet  only  the  ocasional 
distinction  of  a  svlable,  and  thereby  of  the  whole  word,  or  of 
several  sucesive  words,  by  one  or  more  of  the  various  forms  and 
degrees  of  Time,  Vocalit}^,  Force,  Abruptnes,  and  Pitch. 

As  this  notable  function  represents  the  various  states  of  mind, 
it  is  aplied  ocasionaly  on  the  curent  of  discourse ;  but  it  may  be 
employed  on  solitary  interjections,  and  on  one  or  two  words,  form- 
ing an  eliptical  sentence.  It  will  apear  hereafter,  that  emphasis 
is  no  more  than  a  generic  term,  including  s|>ecifications  of  the  use 
of  every  mode  of  the  voice,  for  enforcing  thot  and  pasion. 

The  stated  means  of  quantity  and  stres  which  constitute  Acent, 
being  included  among  the  enumerated  causes  of  Emphatic  distinc- 
tion, it  might  be  infered,  that  in  these  particulars,  acent  and  em- 
phasis cannot  difer  from  each  other.  Quantity,  radical  stres,  and 
the  loud  concrete,  are*  the  same  in  both  cases ;  but  their  purpose 
and  power  in  the  later,  invest  them  with  the  atractive  influence 
of  thot  or  expresion. 

For  a  detailed  acount  of  the  particular  ocasians  requiring  em- 
phasis when  restricted  to  the  means  of  stres,  the  Reader  is  refered 
to  libraries.  They  contain  rhetorical,  and  critical  works,  seting- 
forth  this  part  of  elocution,  with  comprehensivencs,  perspicuity 
and  taste.  It  is  our  aim,  to  point-out  and  to  measure  the  vocal 
means  of  this  important  function. 

Emphasis  produces  its  efect  upon  the  ear,  by  means  of  the  vo- 
cality,  force,  time,  and  abruptnes  of  voice,  and  the  varied  intervals 
of  intonation.  The  particular  enumeration  of  thase  means  will 
be  given  under  the  folowing  heads. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  VocaUty. 

The  difercnt  forms  of  the  mode  of  Vocality  were  enumerated 
in  the  ninth  section.  They  are  variously,  thotivc  or  cxprcsivo, 
and  some  of  them  strongly  afect  the  cnir.  IJcsidcs  their  use  in  the 
general  curent  of  speech,  they  may  be  ocasionaly  aplied  as  em- 


THE  EMPHASIS  OF   FORCE.  397 

phasis  on  single  words.  I  do  not  say,  we  are  to  include  under  this 
head,  those  questionable  cases  of  what  may  be  caled,  the  Pho- 
nology of  Style,  in  which  sound  is  said  to  be  '  an  echo  to  the  sense.' 
The  Reader  may,  on  this  point,  consult  Mr.  Sheridan,  and  other 
writers^  and  judge  for  himself,  how  far  any  individual  sound  of 
the  alphabetic  elements,  may  be  considered  as  vocality,  and  aplied 
as  emphasis.  The  folowing  line  from  Milton's  Lycidas,  is  said  to 
be  an  example  of  this  kind  of  expresion. 

Their  lean  and  flashy  songs, 
Grate  on  their  seranel  pipes  of  wretched  straw. 

If  the  r,  here  repeated,  be  roughened  by  vibration  of  the  tongue, 
it  may  be  supposed  to  represent  vocaly  the  harshnes  of  the  Shep- 
herd's pipe ;  but  to  me,  the  expresion,  if  expresion  at  all,  would 
be  lost  in  its  afectation.  And  generaly,  when  cases  of  this  kind 
do  not  consist  in  a  resemblance  of  the  sound  of  the  word  to  the 
sound  signified,  or  in  an  influence  of  the  thot  or  expresion  on  the 
sound,  they  are  often  a  false  or  a  puerile  figure  of  speech.* 

The  gutural  vibration  as  a  vocality,  is  expresive  of  scorn  and 
execration.     The  falsete  may  be  emphatic,  in  the  scream  of  teror. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  Force. 

Under  the  Time-honored,  we  cannot  call  it  a  Satisfactory  Sys- 
tem of  Elocutionj  Force  or  Stres  seems  to  have  been  regarded  as 
the  principal,  and  if  we  except  the  vague  pretensions  of  ancient 

*  Buzz,  hiss,  and  a  few  others,  may  be  identical  in  sound  with  what  they 
verbaly  represent;  but  let  not  the  Virgilian  Scholar,  impresed  with  theryth- 
mus  of  that  apologetic  maxim,  in  Roman  robbery,  of  beating  down  the  Proud, 
♦  debelare  superbos,'  be  misled  into  the  notion,  that  the  mere  sylabic  sound  of 
superb^  is,  in  itself,  an  echo,  as  the  poor  metaphor  calls  it,  to  the  thot  of  mag- 
nificence, or  grandeur ;  for  by  the  transposition  of  sylables,  which  cannot 
vary  the  expresive  efect  of  the  mere  sound,  we  might  have  the  superb  percep- 
tion of  a  Royal  Banquet,  changed^  if  we  may  make  the  disenchanting  and 
unseemly  contrast^  to  that  of  the  homely  table  of  Poverty,  with  nothing 
besides  its  Herb  Soup  and  the  convenience  of  a  pewter  spoon. 


398  THE  RADICAL   EJfPHASIS. 

Acent  and  of  modern  Inflection,  as  the  only  means  of  emphatic 
distinction.  Our  system  ascribes  to  it  an  influential  but  not  an 
overbearing  agency  among  the  Modes  of  the  voice.  In  the  first 
section,  Abruptnes  is  described  as  a  peculiar  function,  and  altho 
aparently  a  form  of  Force,  is  classed  as  a  separate  Mode.  The 
influence  however,  of  its  character  and  ocasion  is  limited ;  for  it 
has  no  varied  forms,  and  only  a  diference  in  degree.  It  might 
be  aranged  apart,  and  termed,  the  Abrupt-radical  stres ;  as  at  the 
opening  alone  of  the  concrete^  its  efect  as  a  peculiar  function,  and 
an  independent  Mode  of  speech  is  recognized.  Still  as  the  Radi- 
cal stress  bears  a  congenial,  or  at  least  a  clasified  relationship  to 
the  use  of  force  on  other  parts  of  the  concrete,  I  have  thot,  ^vith 
this  prefatory  remarkj  the  term  abrupt  stres,  even  under  its  claims 
to  a  separate  arangement,  might  here  be  included  within  the  sub- 
ject of  Radical  Emphasis. 


OJ  the  Radical  Emphasis. 

When  an  immutable  sylable  l^ears  the  acent,  in  a  Avord  remark- 
able by  meaning,  pasion,  or  antithesisj  the  audible  distinction  can 
be  made  only  in  three  ways ;  by  vocality ;  a  wide  radical  change 
in  the  phrase  of  melody ;  and  an  abrupt  enforcement  of  the  radi- 
cal stres.     The  tvvo  former  will  be  noticed  in  their  proi)er  places. 

And  with  perpetual  inroads  to  alarm,  *i 

Tho  inacesible,  his  fatal  throne ; 
"Which,  if  not  victory,  is  yet  revenge. 

If  the  strongly  contrasted  meaning  of  the  Avortl  victory,  is  not 
represented  by  gutural  vibration,  by  aspiration,  or  some  other 
available  vocality;  or  by  a  change  of  radical  pitch   u])ward  or  i 

downward  thru  the  skip  of  a  third,  fifth,  or  octave,  the  sylable  vie 
must  be  raised  into  importance  by  means  of  the  abrupt  radical 
stres:  at  least  no  other  form  can  be  cfoctive  while  the  sylable  is 
limited  to  its  usual  or  conventional  quantity. 


THE   MEDIAN   EMPHASIS.  399 

Let  us  not  pass  unoticed  the  impresive  sucesion  of  sylabic 
quantity  and  pause  in  this  closing  line ;  a  prosaic  lythmus,  yet 
remarkable  for  the  skilful  comparison  of  the  rapid  time,  and 
abruptnes  of  vie,  with  the  long-drawn  and  gliding  voice  on  venge  ; 
the  rest  between  the  contrasted  clauses,  gradualy  preparing  the 
ear,  for  repose  on  the  indefinite  quantity  of  the  terminative 
cadence. 

It  is  true,  even  an  imutable  sylable  may  be  caried  rapidly  over 
any  interval  of  the  scale;  still  this  rapid  movement  when  not 
joined  with  the  radical  change,  is  of  no  emphatic  importance. 

Altho  the  radical  emphasis  is  here  aloted  to  imutable  sylables, 
it  may  be  laid  also  on  those  of  indefinite  time.  But  these  admit- 
ing  of  more  agreeable  fornxs,  derived  from  quantity  and  intonation, 
they  less  frequently  require  the  strong  explosion  of  the  radical. 

This  emphasis  is  the  sign  of  anger,  positive  afirmation,  comand, 
and  energetic  mental  states  of  all  kinds.  It  is  also  the  comon 
means  of  enforcement,  whatever  the  time  of  the  sylable,  when 
discourse  requires  a  rapid  uterance. 


Of  the   Median   Emphasis. 

The  prominent  display  of  the  thot  or  expresion  of  a  word,  by 
a  gradual  increase  and  subsequent  diminution  of  voice,  can  be 
efected  only  on  sylables  of  indefinite  time.  It  has  an  importance 
equal  to  that  of  the  radical  stres,  under  a  form  of  greater  smooth- 
ness, dignity  and  grace.  In  the  folowing  sentence,  the  word  sole 
conveys  the  mental  state  of  warm  and  serious  admiration,  which 
this  emphasis  finely  expreses. 

Wonder  not,  sov'reign  Mistress,  if  perhaps 
Thou  canst,  who  art  sole  wonder ! 

Here  the  median  stres  might  posibly  be  executed  on  the  simple 
rise  and  fall  of  the  fifth,  and  octave,  when  slowly  prolonged,  yet 
it  is  more  frequently,  and  more  efectively  made  on  the  wave.     In 


400 


THE  VANISHING  EMPHASIS. 


the  present  case,  the  emphatic  intonation  of  tlie  word  sole  is  given 
on  the  equal  wave  of  the  second  or  third ;  the  swell  being  at  the 
junction  of  its  two  constituents. 

The  Reader  must  observe,  that  in  asigning  the  form  of  stres  in 
this,  and  the  preceding  examples,  I  have  been  governed  by  the 
principles  of  speech,  laid  down  in  this  volume ;  and  that  I  shall 
continue  to  aply  them,  in  ilustrating  the  other  forms  of  emphasis, 
included  under  this  section ;  for  if  these  examples  are  read  in  any 
of  those  various  ways,  resulting  from  vulgar  atempts  in  elocution, 
or  from  scholastic  authority^  my  meaning  will  not,  in  all  proba- 
bility, be  receved.  Acording  to  our  rule,  the  lines  above  quoted 
should  have  a  plain  but  deeply  admirative  character,  on  the  long 
quantities  of  its  diatonic  melody ;  giving  to  the  emphatic  word  the 
importance  of  greater  time,  cither  in  the  wave  of  the  second,  or 
third,  or  even  fifth,  and  smoothly  impresing  it  by  the  swell  of  the 
median  stres.  It  is  not  within  our  present  purposej  but  it  might 
be  aded,  that  thou  should  have  the  wave  of  the  second  or  third,  to 
conect  it  both  by  quantity  and  intonation,  under  the  emphatic  tie, 
with  sole ;  and  that  canst  should  be  set  at  a  ditone  above  thou,  to 
asist  the  emphatic  tie,  in  carying  on  the  voice,  and  with  it,  the 
meaning  of  the  line.  The  intonation  here  proposed,  may  be  taken 
as  an  example  of  the  reverentive  or  admirative  style. 


Of  the  Vanishing   Emphasis. 


This  form  of  stres  is  characterized  by  a  degree  of  force,  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  the  radical  emphasis.  Why  then  arc  they  dis- 
tinguished from  each  other  by  name?  The  radical  is  apropriate 
to  imutable  sylables ;  the  vanishing  cannot  be  recognized  on  tliem, 
as  it  requires  some  extent  of  quantity ;  and  while  tlie  hasty  energy 
that  prompts  it,  generaly  asigns  it  to  a  simple  concrete,  Avith  just 
sufi(!ient  time  for  its  execution,  it  is  sometimes  efectively  made  on 
a  prolonged  quantity,  and  on  the  wave. 

In  the  folowing  examples,  this  inversion  of  the  simple  form  of 


THE   COMPOUND   EMPHASIS.  401 

the  concrete  may  be  employed  for  the  expresion  of  angry  impa- 
tience in  one  case,  and  of  threatening  vengeance  in  the  other. 

Oh  ye  Gods!  ye  Gods!  must  I  endure  all  this  I 


Oh  !  that  I  had  him, 
With  six  Aufldiuses,  or  more,  his  tribe, 
To  use  my  lawful  sword. 

The  words  here  marked  in  italics,  when  pronounced  with  the 
vanishing  stres,  have  that  Irish  provincialism  which  characterizes 
in  a  degree,  this  species  of  force ;  the  final  abrupt  element  in  these 
cases  contributing  to  the  efect,  by  its  oclusion. 

The  vanishing  stres  is  often  used  for  an  energetic,  a  peevish,  or 
an  angry  question :  in  this  way,  the  extent  of  the  interogative 
interval,  with  its  emphatic  boundary,  is  more  forcibly  impressed 
on  the  ear. 

A  cause  of  the  peculiar  expresion  of  the  vanishing  emphasis, 
may  be  this.  From  the  ordinary  habit  of  the  voice  in  the  simple 
concrete,  it  is  dificult  to  produce  a  final  fulnes  and  force,  with- 
out giving  rapidity  of  time  to  its  execution  :  and  this  adapts  it  to 
the  active  state  of  mind  represented  by  the  vanishing  stres.  But 
we  leave  the  remark  to  the  observation  and  reflection  of  others. 


Of  the  Compound  Emphasis. 

A  DEGREE  of  emphatic  distinction  by  force,  stronger  than  that 
of  the  preceding  forms,  may  be  aplied  to  sylables  of  indefinite 
time ;  for  these,  under  the  direction  of  a  vehement  state  of  mind, 
may  receve  their  force  from  a  union  of  both  the  radical  and 
vanishing  stress ;  as  in  the  following  urgent  call. 

Arm,  wariors,  arm  for  fight;  the  foe  at  hand, 
Whom  fled  we  thot,  will  save  us  long  pursuit 
This  day. 


402        THOROUGH    EMPHASIS,  AND   THE   LOUD    COXCRETE. 

The  imperative  words  here  marked  in  italics,  may  receve  this 
double  form  of  stres,  either  on  a  wide  downward  interval,  or  on 
an  unequal-direct  wave,  with  a  wide  downward  constituent.  The 
vanishing  stres  being  here,  on  the  subtonic  m,  requires  more  efort 
to  produce  its  fulnes,  than  when  the  final  element  is  abrupt.  The 
compound  stres  is  however,  more  particularly  apropriate  to  the 
forcible  emphasis  of  an  interogation  :  and  I  here  cite  an  example, 
from  the  scene  of  Hamlet's  violence  towards  Laertes,  at  the  grave 
of  Ophelia. 

Dost  thou  come  here  to  ivhine  ? 

To  outface  me  by  leaping  in  her  grave? 

The  great  earnestnes  of  these  questions,  calls  for  the  Thoro 
interogative  intonation  ;  and  the  emphatic  importance  of  the  word 
whine,  requires,  or  will  admit  the  rising  octave  with  the  compound 
stres  upon  it.  The  radical  abruptnes  on  {,  sets-forth  the  threaten- 
ing rage  of  the  Prince ;  and  the  vanishing  stres  on  n,  conspicuously 
denotes  the  inquiry,  by  marking  the  extent  of  the  interogative 
interval. 

We  do  not  here  regard  the  aspiration,  to  be  joined  with  the 
compound  stres,  for  the  .expresion  of  whatever  contempt  or  scorn, 
the  question  may  contain. 

It  must  be  confcsed  howeverj  the  discrimination  of  this  species 
of  emphasis,  in  the  curent  of  pronunciation,  is  not  so  easy,  as  that 
of  the  preceding.  Still  it  is  heard  in  the  voice.  Its  efect  is  pecu- 
liar ;  and  by  deliberate  analysis  is  clearly  resolvable  into  the  double 
form  of  stres. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Thoro  Stres,  and  the  Loud  Concrete. 

In  detailing  the  asignable  forms  and  degrees  of  force,  those  of 
the  Tlioro  stres,  and  tlie  Loud  concrete,  were  described  as  dilercnt 
from  the  rest,  and  from  each  other. 

But  I  am  not  disposed  to  insist  upon  the  importance  of  these 
distinctions,  for  the  practical  purposes  of  elocution.     They  exist 


THE   ASPIRATED   EMPHASIS.  403 

however  as  forms  of  stres,  and  are  perhaps  used  as  emphatic  signs 
of  thot  or  expresion.  Yet  they  are  not,  either  in  character  or 
degree,  when  employed  on  short  quantities,  so  distinguishable  from 
the  radical,  and  the  compound  stres,  and  from  each  other,  as  to 
require  special  exemplification.  The  peculiarity  of  these  forms  of 
stres,  is  relative  to  the  time  of  sylables ;  for  when  this  is  not  so 
short  as  to  require  the  radical  stres,  nor  of  suficient  length  to  admit 
of  a  prolonged  aplication  of  force,  the  required  distinction  may  be 
efected  on  such  moderate  quantities  by  the  loud  concrete,  or  the 
thoro  stres,  as  in  the  marked  sylables  of  the  folowing  example ; 
where  the  first  may  receve  the  former,  and  the  second,  the  later 
species  of  emphasis. 

This  knows  my  Punisher :   therefore  as  far 
From  g7'aniing  he,  as  I  from  beg\ng  peace. 

On  this  subject,  let  it  be  kept  in  mind,  that  altho  the  thoro 
stres  may  be  aplied,  under  the  limitation  of  emphasis,  to  short, 
and  ocasionaly  to  longer  quantities ;  yet  when  unusualy  extended, 
in  a  curent  melody,  it  has  that  rustic  coarsenes,  described  in  the 
thirty-ninth  section. 


Of  the  Aspirated  Emphasis. 

The  earnestnes  and  other  expresive  efects  of  aspiration,  may  be 
spread  over  a  whole  sentence.  The  same  expresion  is  sometimes 
restricted  to  a  single  word ;  constituting  the  aspirated  emphasis. 
Many  words  claim  this  emphasis  from  the  esential  energy  of  their 
meaning ;  and  these,  in  some  cases  have  the  literal  symbol  of  as- 
piration, as  havoc,  horor,  huza.  A  similar  remark  may  be  made 
on  some  of  the  interjections.  I  need  not  quote  instances  of  as- 
pirated uterance  in  the  exclamations  of  pasion,  and  in  the  pure 
breathing  of  a  sigh ;  the  pages  of  the  drama  are  full  of  examples. 

In  the  folowing  dialogue  from  Julius  Ccesar,  the  efect  of  aspira- 
tion in  marking  an  earnest  state  of  mind,  is  suficiently  obvious  on 
the  words  ay,  and  fear,  set  in  italics. 


404  THE   EMPHATIC   YOCULE. 

Brtitus.    What  means  this  shouting?     I  do  fear  the  people 

Choose  Ciesar  for  their  king. 
Casshis.  Ay,  do  you  fear  it  ? 

Then  must  I  think  you  would  not  have  it  so. 

And  again,  in  the  Tent  scene,  the  earnest  repugnance  of  Cassius 
is  manifested  by  an  aspiration  on  the  word  chastisement. 

Brutus.    The  name  of  Cassius  honors  this  coruption, 

And  chastisement  does  therefore  hide  his  head. 
Cassius.   Chastise7nent  ? 

When  aspiration  is  combined  with  the  vanishing  stres  on  a 
simple  concrete,  or  on  the  various  forms  of  the  wave,  it  conveys 
an  expresion  of  sneer,  or  contempt,  or  scorn. 

Aspiration  may  be  aplied  to  sylables  of  every  variety  of  time, 
to  all  forms  of  force,  and  all  intervals  of  intonation. 


Of  the  Emphatic  Vocule. 

When  a  word  emphatic  by  force,  terminates  M'ith  an  abrupt 
element,  folowed  by  a  pause,  tliat  slight  issue  of  sound  caled  the 
Vocule,  generaly  receves  a  continuation  of  the  force;  and  this, 
by  its  explosive  efort,  becomes  the  sign  of  pasionative  excitement. 

On  some  ocasions,  this  vocule  may  be  used,  with  a  view  to  press 
into  a  sylable  all  the  power  of  emphasis.  But  it  comes  so  close  to 
afectation,  that  I  hesitated  about  its  clasification,  as  a  fault,  or  as 
an  asistant  enforcement  of  speech. 

I  will  not  say  absolutely,  it  should  be  forcibly  employed  in  the 
folowing  linej  from  the  close  of  the  third  scene,  in  the  third  act 
of  Othello :  but  when  the  Avord  hate,  is  jironouneed  with  the  stres 
required  by  the  pasionative  state  of  the  Moor,  the  emphatic  vocide 
almost  necesarily  bursts  from  the  t,  in  the  organic  opening  of  the 
atonic  abrupt  element. 

Yield  up,  O  love,  thy  crown,  and  hearted  throne, 
To  tyranous  hate  I   swell,  bosom,  with  thy  fraught. 


1^ 


THE   GUTURAL   EMPHASIS.      THE   TEMPORAL  EMPHASIS.      405 


Oj  the  Gutural  Emphasis. 

The  excited  mental  states  of  disgust,  aversion,  execration,  and 
horor,  give  their  expresion  to  an  emphatic  word,  by  joining  the 
gutural  vibration  to  other  means  of  vocal  distinction.  It  is  heard 
on  the  daily  ocasions  for  revolting  interjectives ;  and  sometimes  on 
the  comon  curent  of  sylabic  uterance.  It  might  be  properly  used 
on  the  word  detestable,  in  the  folowing  lines,  from  that  dreadful 
malediction  upon  Athensj  at  the  opening  of  the  fourth  act  of 
Shakspeare's  Timon;  taking  care  to  acent  the  second  sylable, 
M'hich  does  not  bear  a  stres,  in  the  measure  of  the  line. 

Nothing  I'll  bear  from  thee 
But  nakedness,  thou  detestable  town  I 

When  this  gutural  vibration  is  combined  with  the  highest 
powers  of  stres  and  aspiration,  it  produces  the  most  impulsive 
blast  of  speech. 


Of  the  Temporal  Emphasis. 

If  the  quantity  of  "an  emphatic  sylable  is  long,  and  admits  of 
indefinite  exteusionj  or  the  word  has  only  an  antithetic,  or  a  thotive 
meaning,  without  the  force  of  pasionj  or  when  the  distinction  has 
the  sole  purpose  of  an  emphatic  tiej  the  impresion  may  be  made 
by  the  influence  of  time  alone,  as  on  co,  in  the  following  addr&s. 

Hail  holy  Light,  ofspring  of  Heaven  first-born. 
Or  of  the  Eternal,  coeternal  beam, 
May  I  expres  thee  unblamed  ? 

Or  more  conspicuously,  in  Abdiel's  warning  to  Satan. 

For  soon  expect  to  feel, 
His  thunder  on  thy  head,  detJo?<ring  fire. 
Then,  who  created  thee  lamenting  learn, 
When  who  can  uwcrcate  thee  thou  shalt  know. 


406  THE  TEMPORAL   EMPHASIS. 

In  this  constelation  of  temporal  empliases,  the  irapreslve  long 
quantity  of  the  acented  sylable  of  thunder,  and  of  devouring,  is 
given  as  an  instance  of  the  emphatic  tie ;  in  which  the  relation  of 
two  subjects  separated  by  a  clause,  is  shown  in  its  true  vocal  syn- 
tax ;  and  by  which  any  ludicrous  image,  from  too  ready  a  verbal 
conection  between  head  and  devouring  fire,  may  be  obviated. 
Perhaps  it  will  be  saidj  these  words,  together  with  the  others 
marked  in  italics  as  emphatic  by  quantity  alone,  might  receve  the 
aditional  distinction  of  a  forceful,  or  of  an  intonated  emphasis. 
It  may  be  learned  from  the  speech  at  large,  that  Abdiel  is  no 
longer  the  'fervent  angel'  contending  with  the  apostate.  He  is 
now  the  herald  of  an  Almighty  Decree.  The  earnest  persuasion, 
with  the  alternate  hopes  and  fears  of  argument,  has  given  2>lace  to 
thotive  admonitions,  and  to  the  solemn  declarations  of  retributive 
justice;  and  the  unimpasioned  but  conspicuous  distinction  by 
temporal  emphasis  apears  well  acommodated  to  the  uterance  of 
the  'unmoved,  unshaken,  unseduced,  unterified,'  and  prophetic 
Seraph. 

The  Reader  must  have  observed  the  close  conection  bet^'een  the 
various  vocal  constituents ;  and  that  with  every  atempt,  it  is  im- 
posible  to  represent  each  separately,  in  the  necesary  ilustrations. 
We  here  speak  of  the  simple  extension  of  quantity  as  the  means 
of  emphasis,  when  in  reality  that  quantity  is  in  part  efective,  under 
the  influence  of  some  form  of  intonation.  Extended  time  on  in- 
terogative  sylablesj  on  those  of  positivenes  and  comand,  or  of  a 
feeble  cadencej  has  an  intonation,  respectively,  on  the  simple  course 
of  the  upward  or  downward  third,  fifth,  or  octave.  But  in  plain 
temporal  emphasis,  like  that  of  the  above  examples,  and  in  a 
dignified  diatonic  melody,  an  extension  of  indefinite  sylablcs  is 
always  through  the  direct  or  inverted  wave  of  the  unimpasioned 
second. 


THE   EMPHASIS    OF   PITCH.  407 


Of  the  Mnphasls  of  Pitch. 

It  was  stated  generaly,  in  speaking  of  the  pitch  of  the  voice, 
that  its  several  forms  are  used  as  the  means  of  emphasis.  We 
should  now  precede  to  the  ilustration  of  this  subject ;  but  as  the 
rising  third,  fifth,  and  octave  are  signs  of  interogation,  and  as  they 
have  this  character  even  when  aplied  to  a  single  word  of  a  sen- 
tence, we  may  inquire^  how  the  Interogative  efect  in  discourse  is 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  Emphatic.  There  must  be  even  to 
the  comon  ear,  something  like  an  unwriten  rule,  to  which  reference 
is  instinctively  made;  for  notwithstanding  the  frequent  employ- 
ment of  these  signs  in  their  diferent  meanings,  these  meanings  are 
rarely  confounded.  Yet  our  discriminations  on  this  subject  have 
in  time  past  been  fourfooted  instincts;  let  us  try  to  enoble  them, 
by  giving  them  the  suport  and  the  exalted  step  of  knowledge  and 
principles. 

The  various  interogative  sentences  were  named  in  the  seven- 
teenth section ;  and  on  that  division,  the  discriminations  are  here 
made. 

In  the  first  case.  As  the  emphatic  use  of  pitch  is  on  a  single 
word,  or  at  most  on  two  or  three,  there  is  no  liability  to  mistake 
emphasis,  for  declarative  questions  with  the  thoro  intonation.  In 
the  second.  It  was  shown,  that  the  partial  interogative  is  gen- 
eraly applied  to  comon,  pronominal,  and  adverbial  questions. 
These,  even  with  only  a  solitary  third,  or  fifth,  or  octave,  cannot 
posibly  be  confounded  with  cases  of  emphasis  on  these  same  in- 
tervals, in  sentences  without  the  gramatical  structure  of  a  question. 
How  far  it  might  be  proper  to  consider  a  partial  interogation, 
made  with  a  single  interogative  interval,  as  conjoining  the  condi- 
tions of  interogation  and  of  emphasis,  thereby  justifying  the  term 
Interogative  Emphasisj  may  be  left  for  future  inquiry  and  arange- 
ment.  In  the  third  case.  Many  phrases  having  the  form  of  a 
question,  seem  nevertheles  to  hang  doubtfuly  between  an  interog- 
ative and  an  asertive  meaning.  When  such  phrases  can  be  fairly 
resolved  into  an  interjective  apeal,  or  a  negative  question,  or  one 
of  beliefj  the  positive  state  of  mind  generaly  calls  for  an  intona- 


408  THE   EMPHASIS   OF   PITCH. 

tion  in  the  downward  concrete,  as  shown  in  tlie  thirty-second  sec- 
tion. With  these  questions  emphasis  by  a  rising  interval  cannot 
be  confounded.  The  folowing  examples  are  by  editorial  punctua- 
tion marked  as  questions ;  but  the  conditions  above  stated  seem  to 
aply  so  clearly  to  them,  that  I  would  exclude  the  interogative  in- 
tervals, and  expres  these  virtual  afirmations  by  a  positive  down- 
ward intonation. 

Casslus.  W/iat  should  be  in  that  Ccesar? 

Why  should  that  name  be  sounded  more  than  yours? 


Casca.  What  night  is  this? 

Cassius.  A  very  pleasing  night  to  honest  men. 
Casca.      Who  ever  knew  the  heavens  menace  so  ? 


Shi/lock.  Ay,  his  breast : 

So  says  the  bond  ;     Doth   it  not,  noble  judge  ? 
Nearest  his  heart,  those  are  the  very  words. 

In  the  first  of  these  instances,  Cassius  does  positively  mean, 
There  is  nothing  in  Csesar,  nor  in  his  name.  In  the  second, 
CJisca  would  say.  It  is  a  dreadful  night ;  the  heavens  were  never 
known  to  menace  so.  And  in  the  last,  Shylock,  by  his  negative 
question,  does  triumphantly  declare.  You  know  it,  noble  judge. 
If  then  instead  of  the  positive,  the  interogative  intonation  should 
be  aplied  either  thoroly  or  in  part,  to  these  phrases,  their  meaning 
would  be  obscured,  or  lost.  Consequently,  no  case  of  rising  em- 
phasis can  be  mistaken  for  such  interogative  constructions.  When 
figurative  questionsj  those  of  gramatical  construction,  with  a  down- 
ward intonationj  and  when  real  exclamatory  sentences,  cary  their 
expresion  on  one  or  two  downward  intervals,  it  may  be  made  a 
subject  for  future  inquiry,  whether  tiiis  case  might  be  civled  the 
Exclamatory  Emphasis. 

We  go  on  to  enumerate  the  intervals  of  pitch,  employed  in 
emphasis. 


EMPHASIS  OF   THE   RISING   OCTAVE.  409 


Oj  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Octave. 

The  concrete  rise  of  the  Octave  on  a  single  sylable  in  a  curent 
diatonic  melody,  remarkably  distinguishes  it  from  others  bearing 
the  interval  of  a  tone ;  and  its  efect  has  the  true  character  of 
emphasis,  even  without  the  excesive  stres,  heretofore  considered 
almost  the  single  esential,  in  the  definition  of  that  term. 

The  Reader  has  been  told  more  than  once^  the  intervals  of  the 
scale  are  apreciable,  even  in  the  momentary  flight  of  an  imutable 
sylable ;  and  that  the  expresion  of  the  octave  on  these  sylables  is 
generaly  efected  by  the  skip  of  a  radical,  from  the  level  of  curent 
speech  to  the  hight  of  that  interval  alx)ve  it.  The  emphasis  of 
the  octave  apears  then,  under  the  form  both  of  Slow  Concrete,  and 
of  Radical  Change ;  and  let  it  be  remembered  that  one  of  these 
diferent  forms  of  pitch  is  always  implied,  when  we  speak  of  the 
emphasis  of  other  wider  intervals  of  the  scale. 

The  rising  octave  is  employed  emphaticaly,  for  astonishment 
and  admiration,  embracing  inquiry  or  doubt ;  and  for  the  especial 
enforcing  of  one  word  above  others,  in  an  interogative  sentence : 
but  this  rarely ;  for  there  is  a  kind  of  mewl  in  its  long-drawn  con- 
crete, that  excludes  it  from  those  elevated  purposes  of  speecli  which 
it  is  the  design  of  science  to  investigate,  and  of  taste  to  approve. 

The  octave  sometimes  expreses  a  quick,  a  taunting,  or  a  mirth- 
ful interogative;  and  is  rarely  used  in  a  calm,  serious,  and  dig- 
nified question.  It  would  perhaps  be  admisible  in  the  folowiug 
sneering  exultation  of  Shylock  over  Antonio. 

Monies  is  your  suit. 
What  should  I  say  to  you  ?   should  I  not  say  ? 
Hath  a  dog  money  ?     Is  it  posible 
A  cur  can  lend  three  thousand  duca'ts  ? 

From  the  temper  of  the  two  last  questions,  they  Avill  bear  a 
thoro  interogative  intonation ;  but  the  words  dog,  and  cur,  by  an 
emphatic  alusion  to  the  previous  rating  of  Shylock  by  Antonio, 
convey  the  exultation  of  revengej  as  well  as  an  imediate  antithesis 
to  their  former  contemptuous  aplication,  by  being  run  up  to  the 
27 


410  EMPHASIS   OF   THE   RISIXG  OCTAVE. 

keennes  of  the  octave.  Some  readers  might  probably  be  disposed 
to  set  a  more  dignified  form  of  intonation  on  tliese  questions,  by 
considering  them  as  Apealing ;  and  employing  a  general  curent  of 
downward  thirds,  with  a  downward  octave  on  dog,  and  cur.  I 
only  say,  they  will  bear  the  asigned  intonation,  without  making 
jDreference  the  subject  of  argument ;  tho  the  manifest  sneer  seems 
to  claim  the  rising  intervals.  The  readings  proposed  in  this  esay 
are  for  ilustration ;  and  their  purpose  may  be  fulfiled,  even  if  they 
may  not  exactly  acord  with  comon  opinion.  There  is  a  best  in  the 
works  of  every  art ;  but  the  latitude  of  admisible  variation,  within 
the  reach  of  principles,  makes  an  ample  and  a  liberal  grant,  that 
sometimes  generously  admits  even  cases  of  unsucesful  search  after 
the  highest  excelence.  Over  such  failures,  the  inteligent  critic  of 
another  age  will  be  neither  quarelsome  nor  severe. 

The  emphasis  of  the  octave  by  a  change  of  radical  pitch,  is 
exemplified  in  the  folowing  lines. 

'Zounds,  show  me  what  thou'lt  do : 

'Woo'i  weep?   \ioo^i  fight?   vf  oo't  fast?    woo't  tear  thyself  ? 

The  exasperated  energy  of  Hamlet,  in  his  encounter  with 
Laertes,  calls  for  the  highest  pitch  of  interogation  on  the  words 
here  marked ;  but  these  words  do  not  admit  of  the  slow  concrete. 
To  fulfil  the  purposes  of  expresion,  they  are  to  be  imediately  trans- 
fered  by  radical  change  to  an  octave  above  the  word  looo't,  which 
in  its  several  places,  is  at  the  comon  level  of  the  melody.  Thp 
emphatic  sylable,  when  raised,  is  still  further  indued  with  the 
character  of  an  interogative  interval,  by  the  rapid  flight  of  the 
concrete  octave,  described  in  the  seventeenth  section.  In  the  first 
seven  words  of  the  second  line  the  voice  does  skip,  alternately 
ascending  and  descending,  between  the  extremes  of  an  octave. 

While  these  lines  are  before  us,  we  may  notice  the  contrast 
between  the  two  movements  of  pitch  in  the  octave ;  for  tlie  word 
tear,  having  an  indefinite  quantity,  admits  freely  of  the  slow  con- 
crete ;  and  the  voice  after  being  restrained  to  the  discrete  skip,  on 
the  precaling  imutablc  sylables,  more  freely,  and  with  graceful 
contrast  iisumes  on  this  word,  the  intonation  of  a  concrete  or 
continuoiLS  rise. 


EMPHASIS  OF   THE   RISIXG  FIFTH.  411 


Oj  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Fifth. 

The  relation  of  the  concrete  fifth  to  the  octave,  in  their  inter- 
ogative  character,  was  formerly  shown.  As  a  sign  of  emphatic 
thot  or  of  pasion,  the  fifth  is  less  impresive  than  the  octave j  from 
not  having  its  percing  influence.  There  is  however,  more  dignity 
in  the  importance  it  gives  to  a  sylable.  In  the  folowing  lines, 
from  Satan's  adres  to  the  sun,  the  emphasis  on  thee  may  be  made 
by  the  concrete  rising  fifth,  for  the  expresion  of  its  exultation. 

Evil  be  thou  my  good :   by  thee  at  least 
Divided  empire  with  Heaven's  king  I  hold. 

It  is  said  here,  and  we  alow  the  same  cautious  latitude  in  other 
cases,  that  a  certain  form  of  emphatic  expresion  may  be  employed ; 
for  ocasionaly,  the  emj)hasis  may  be  varied;  as  in  the  present 
example,  thee  might  be  in  the  wave  of  the  fifth,  or  third,  or  even 
the  second ;  in  the  last  case  however,  a  want  of  the  expresive  efect 
of  the  fifth,  must  be  suplied  by  a  long  quantity,  and  by  the  use 
of  the  radical,  or  median,  or  vanishing  stres,  on  the  wave  of  the 
second  so  employed.  Nay,  we  will  go  further  with  the  liberal 
construction  alowed  by  every  broad  and  self-confiding  system; 
and  under  the  principles  of  this  Work,  are  ready  to  acord  with 
the  free-choice  of  any  enlightened  taste,  which  in  the  above 
example  might  prefer  even  the  positive  emphasis  of  a  downward 
inters'al.  And  this,  not  inconsistently;  for  by  the  rules  of  a  w^ell 
ordered  system,  such  variations  will  always  be  made  acording  to 
the  discretion  that  liberaly  allows  them. 

In  the  folowing  lines,  the  emphasis  of  the  fifth  on  the  word 
beauty,  is  perhaps  not  absolutely  unchangeable;  but  it  certainly 
produces  a  brightnes  of  picture,  well  adapted  to  the  admirative 
character,  and  which  cannot  perhaps  be  so  well  efected  in  any 
other  way. 

Tears  like  the  rain-drops  may  fall  without  measure, 
But  rapture  and  beaxdy  they  cannot  recall. 

The  effect  in  this  case  will  be  more  finished,  if  after  the  concrete 


412  EMPHASIS    OF   THE   RISING  THIRD. 

rise  of  the  sylable  beau,  thru  the  fifth j  ty  be  discretely  brot  down 
to  the  line  of  the  curent  melody.  It  may  be  aded,  that  from  the 
transposed  order  of  sylabic  quantity,  a  reversed  order  of  intonation 
may  be  set  on  rapture  ;  for  a  discrete  rising  skip  of  the  fifth  may 
be  made  with  rap,  and  a  concrete  return  to  tlie  curent  melody  on 
ture. 

The  emphasis  of  the  fifth,  by  a  skip  of  radical  pitch,  is  further 
exemplified  in  the  Une,  formerly  quoted  to  show  the  radical  stress. 

"Which,  if  not  victory,  is  yet  revenge. 

Here  the  abrupt  stres  on  vie,  requires  and  receves  asistance  from 
intonation,  by  seting  that  short  sylable  at  a  discrete  fifth  above  the 
place  of  not :  for  this  gives  expresive  emphasis ;  and  a  downward 
return  to  the  curent  melody  on  to,  closes  the  line  with  the  efect, 
tho  not  with  the  full  form,  of  a  prepared  cadence. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Third. 

The  striking  intonation  of  the  octave  and  the  fifth  is  suited  to 
the  earnest  interests  and  replications  of  coloquial  speech,  and  to 
the  forcible  thots  and  pasions  of  the  drama.  The  rise  of  the  third, 
in  still  denoting  severaly,  both  interogation  and  emphasis,  produces 
a  less  intense,  but  a  more  dignified  impresion. 

The  rise  of  the  third  may  be  set  on  the  word  he,  in  the  folowing 

lines. 

Who  first  seduced  them  to  that  foul  revolt  ? 
The  infernal  Serpent;    he  it  was,  whose  guile, 
Stired  up  with  envy  and  revenge. 

And  we  may  add,  that  the  words  infernal  serpent,  being  a  positive 
answer  to  the  question,  should  have  the  downward  intonation,  both 
for  contrast  to  tlie  rising  third,  on  Aej  and  for  emphatic  wonder  at 
the  revengeful  guile  of  the  seducer. 

Some  phrases  however  are  simply  interogative,  and  unacom- 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE   EISING  SEMITONE.  413 

panied  by  those  states  of  mind  usualy  producing  the  octave  and 
the  fifth.  The  emphatic  distinction  in  these  cases,  is  made  with 
the  moderately  atractive  influence  of  the  third. 

Dost  thou  think  Alexander  looked  o'  this  fashion, 
i'  the  earth? 

If  in  this  example,  Alexander,  this  fashion,  and  earth,  be  taken 
as  emphatic,  the  distinction  will  be  apropriately  made  by  the  third. 
Should  the  intonation  on  these  words  be  in  the  wider  interval  of 
the  fifth  or  octave,  it  would  imply  an  eagernes  of  inquiry,  and  a 
light  familiarity  of  adres,  not  embraced  by  the  meaning  of  the 
question,  nor  consistent  with  the  temper  of  Hamlet's  moralizing 
reflections. 

It  is  scarcely  necesary  to  ilustrate  the  radical  skip  of  the  third, 
in  relation  to  emphasis.  The  word  victory,  in  a  preceding  example, 
may  be  executed  on  this  discrete  interval,  if  the  Reader  should 
think  the  fifth,  there  employed,  too  wide ;  for  it  will  exemplify 
either  case,  acording  to  the  degree  of  energy  ascribed  to  it. 

The  third,  as  shown  in  the  sixteenth  section,  is  employed  on 
the  emphatic  words  of  conditional,  concessive,  and  hypothetical 
phrases. 

The  minor  third,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  minor  scale,  is 
the  esential  means  of  plaintivenes  in  song ;  but  it  is  not  to  be  used 
in  the  system  of  speaking-intonation,  set-forth  in  this  Work ;  and 
this  system  regarding  it  as  a  fault  in  speech,  we  cannot  give  it  a 
place,  in  the  history  of  emphasis. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Rising  Semitone. 

I  OMIT  here,  a  notice  of  the  tone  or  second.  The  Reader  must 
now  be  too  well  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the  diatonic 
melody,  not  to  perceve,  that  the  simple  rise  of  a  second,  having 
no  atmctive  or  peculiar  expresion,  cannot,  by  pitch  alone,  be  em- 
phatic.   The  more  impresive  intervals,  when  not  compared  among 


414  EMPHASIS   OF  THE   RISING  SEMITONE. 

themselves,  are  emphatic  only  by  their  contrast  with  the  thStive 
curent  of  the  second.  It  is  true,  a  sylable  Ls  made  emphatic  by 
quantity ;  and  that  quantity  in  plain  and  dignified  uterance,  is 
comonly  efected  by  the  doubling  of  the  second  into  the  form  of  a 
wave.  But  the  impresivenes  is  here  the  result  of  time,  not  into- 
nation. 

As  the  semitone  has  a  peculiar  expresion,  it  can  fulfil  the  con- 
dition of  emphasis,  when  laid  ujaon  a  single  word  in  the  course  of 
a  diatonic  melody.  We  have  an  instance  of  this,  in  the  first  line 
of  Hamlet's  soliloquy. 

O,  that  this  too,  too  solid  flesh  would  melt, 
Thaw,  and  resolve  itself  into  a  dew  I 

These  words  are  prompted  by  three  diferent  states  of  mind.  O, 
that  this  solid  flesh  would  melt,  is  wishful ;  this  too  solid  flesh,  is 
declarative  that  it  cannot  change ;  and  the  second  too,  here  taking- 
on  the  degree  of  an  adjective,  is  plaintive  under  the  repeated 
declaration.  In  these  states,  Hamlet  implores  with  becoming 
seriousnes,  that  his  living  frame  may  be  dissolved ;  yet  by  the  first 
adverb  too,  repeated  more  forcibly  as  an  adjective,  expreses  his 
conviction  of  its  imposibility.  Under  the  hard  fate  of  this  con- 
viction, he  repeats  the  word  too,  with  a  pathetic  despondency, 
which  requires  and  beautifuly  sad,  receves  a  slowly  extended  and 
slightly  tremulous  wave  of  the  semitone. 

It  rarely  liapens  however,  that  this  semitonic  expresion  is  found 
so  insulated :  for  the  plaintivenes  which  directs  a  single  word, 
generaly  spreads  its  efect  over  the  whole  phrase  or  sentence ;  con- 
stituting the  chromatic  melody,  and  thereby  destroying  the  solitary 
importance,  or  proper  emphasis  of  the  semitone. 

It  will  then  be  asked j  how  emphasis  when  required,  can  be 
efected  in  a  chromatic  melody.  It  may  be  by  stres  in  its  various 
forms ;  and  by  time  ;  for  the  semitone  is  set  on  sylables  of  every 
quantity.  It  may  likewise  be  produced  by  intonation,  in  the 
folowing  manner. 

When  a  sylable  calls  for  the  emphasis  of  a  wider  pitch  in  a 
chromatic  melody,  it  cannot  be  a  simple  concrete  rise  or  fall  thru 
the  second,  third,  fifth,  or  eighth ;  for  these  movements,  by  over- 
sliding  the  measure  of  a  semitone,  would  destroy  the  plaintivenes, 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE  DOWNWARD   CONCRETE.  415 

which  by  the  conditions  of  the  case  should  be  heard.  Yet,  when 
a  sylable  of  the  chromatic  melody  is  elevated  by  a  discrete  radical 
change,  from  the  level  of  the  curent,  to  a  third,  fifth,  or  octave 
above  it;  and  when  raised,  is  there  utered  however  rapidly,  in  the 
interval  of  a  semitone,  the  plaintive  or  chromatic  character  will  be 
preserved ;  and  as  the  sylable,  by  a  transfer  of  the  radical  pitch,  is 
advanced  to  a  higher  point  of  the  scale,  its  semitone  by  the  addi- 
tional means  of  this  acutenes  in  position  is  more  forcibly  impresed 
on  the  ear,  and  fuly  conforms  to  the  definition  of  emphasis. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Downward  Concrete. 

The  downward  movement  of  the  voice  expreses  positivenes  and 
surprise,  and  on  a  single  long  sylable,  forms  the  feeble  cadence. 
We  are  now  to  consider  the  maner  of  employing  this  concrete,  for 
the  purpose  of  emphasis,  on  one  or  more  words,  in  a  curent  melody. 

The  wider  downward  concrete  is  a  very  comon  form  of  emphatic 
distinction,  and  exerts  a  powerful  atraction  over  the  ear.  It  can- 
not however,  be  used  in  sentences  of  thoro  interogative  intonation; 
nor  is  it,  in  its  simple  forms  employed  in  the  chromatic  melody. 
When  necesary  in  this  later  case,  for  denoting  surprise  or  posi- 
tivenes, it  may  be  introduced  as  a  constituent  of  the  unequal  wave; 
for  the  rise  of  a  semitone  as  the  first  constituent,  will  preserve  the 
plaintivenes ;  and  a  subsequent  continuation  downward  on  the 
eighth,  or  fifth,  or  third,  will  join  to  this  plaintivenes,  the  required 
emphasis  of  the  faling  concrete. 

When  we  had  ocasion  in  its  proper  place,  to  speak  of  the  descent 
of  the  voice  both  by  concrete  and  by  radical  pitchj  that  descent 
was  repre^nted,  as  taking  place,  only  from  the  line  of  the  curent 
melody.  It  is  now  necesary  to  describe  the  particular  maner  of  its 
movement  in  emphasis.  In  the  twenty-second  section,  a  notation 
is  given  of  the  folowing  line. 

Seems,  madam,  nay,  it  is!     I  know  not  seems. 

In  that  notation,  one  of  its  emphatic  sylables  is  marked  with  a 


416  EMPHASIS  OF   THE   DOWNWARD  CONCRETE. 

downward  fifth ;  tlie  concrete  apearing  on  the  staff,  with  its  radical 
the  whole  extent  of  that  interval  above  the  curent  melody.  I 
then  merely  pointed  out  the  peculiarity;  not  Avishing,  in  that  view 
of  the  downward  concrete,  to  anticipate  the  history  of  its  aplica- 
tion  to  the  especial  subject  of  the  present  section. 

Should  the  word  is,  in  the  above  line,  be  utered  as  a  feeble 
cadence,  by  the  descent  of  a  third  from  the  line  of  the  curent 
melody,  as  if  it  were  the  close  of  a  sentence,  it  would  not  have 
the  impresive  efect,  required  by  the  meaning.  It  cannot  then,  be 
a  simple  descent  of  the  voice  from  the  line  of  a  curent  melody, 
which  gives  an  emphatic  character  to  this  downward  movement. 

The  full  efect  of  the  concrete,  in  this  case,  is  produced  by  com- 
encing  its  radical,  on  a  line  of  pitch  above  the  curent  melody,  and 
descending  to  that  line  or  below  it,  acording  to  the  force  of  ex- 
presion.  The  hight  at  which  the  outset  or  radical  of  the  descend- 
ing concrete  is  to  be  taken,  depends  on  the  degree  of  positivenes 
or  surprise,  designed  in  the  emphasis.  That  the  expresive  efect 
of  the  downward  concrete  precedes  from  its  afinity  in  form  Avith 
the  cadence,  I  will  not  asert.  There  seems  however,  to  be  some- 
thing like  an  ultimate  afirmation  implied  in  a  very  positive  em- 
phasise as  if  it  meant,  this  afirmation  is  beyond  doubt,  then  let  the 
subject  here  be  closed. 

It  may  perhaps  be  askedj  why  the  downward  vanish,  emphat- 
icaly  used  in  the  curent  melody,  does  not  produce  the  efect  of  a 
cadence,  and  interupt  the  continuous  thot  or  expresion  of  discourse. 
Let  it  be  recolectedj  the  feeblest  form  of  the  cadence  consists  in 
the  concrete  descent  by  the  third ;  consequently  the  downward 
emphasis  can  at  most,  amount  but  to  this  feeble  form.  Again,  the 
proper  cadence  is  continued  downward  from  the  line  of  the  curent 
melody ;  whereas  the  empliatic  downward  concrete,  begins  on  a 
degree  of  the  scale  above  the  line  of  the  melwly,  and  does  not 
always  descend  below  it.  •>' 

And  further :  speech  has  two  means  for  convoying  the  mental 
states  of  thot  and  jntsion.  One,  by  a  convontioiml  language,  which 
to  the  ear,  can  describe  them  all.  Tlie  other,  by  the  various  Mcxles 
and  forms  of  the  voice,  that  instinctively  expres  many  of  these 
mental  states,  when  engrafted  on  words.  A  s})oken  cadence  is 
denoted,  both  by  the  vocal  sign,  in  its  three  descending  radicals, 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE   DO'W'T^WARD   OCTAVE.  417 

with  the  final  faling  concrete ;  and  by  language  describing  the 
meaning  of  the  words  that  terminate  the  sentence ;  for  the  into- 
nation of  the  cadence,  together  with  the  meaning  and  structure  of 
the  phrase,  and  the  pause,  always  marks  the  close.  Consequently, 
an  emphatic  downward  vanish  in  the  course  of  the  melody,  can 
never  be  confounded  with  its  termination. 

The  downward  emphasis  by  discrete  radical  pitch,  has  the  same 
character  as  the  downward  concrete^  and  is  employed  for  a  skip  on 
an  imutable  sylable. 

The  cause  of  a  dowuAvard  emphasis  taking  its  radical  pitch,  so 
far  above  the  line  of  the  curent  melody,  must  be  obvious  on  con- 
sidering, that  by  a  descent  merely  from  the  line  of  that  curent, 
the  octave,  the  fifth,  and  perhaps  the  third  would  in  some  cases 
be  inaudiblej  and  always  too  feeble  for  the  demands  of  these 
impresive  downward  intervals. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Downward  Octave. 

After  what  has  been  said  generaly  of  the  downward  emphasis, 
it  is  scarcely  necesary  to  state,  that  the  octave  on  a  long  sylable 
gives  the  strongest  degree  of  this  species  of  emphasis.  The  word 
hell,  in  the  folowing  lines,  requires  the  octave. 

So  frown'd  the  mighty  combatants,  that  Hell 
Grew  darker  at  their  frown. 

This  is  taken  from  that  fine  picture  of  threatful  hostility  between 
Satan  and  Death,  in  the  second  book  of  Paradise  Lost.  And  who- 
ever would  give  this  part  with  a  forcible  and  somewhat  dramatic 
efect,  will  find  it  dificult  to  bring  out  the  full  meaning  of  the  poet, 
except  by  the  above  directed  intonation.  The  meaning,  if  we  may 
interpret  it,  is  not  to  represent  simply,  without  marking  its  degree, 
an  increase  of  darknes  produced  by  the  figurative  gloom  of  the 
brows  of  the  combatants.     Such  a  picture  would  be  too  tame  and 


418  EMPHASIS   OF   THE    DOWNWARD    OCTAVE. 

trite  for  this  dreadful  edge  of  batle.  Tlie  thot  becomes  worthy 
of  the  ociision,  M'hen  tlie  frowns  are  said  to  be  able  to  blacken  the 
deep  darknes  even  of  Hell.  It  is  not  to  our  purpose  to  remark 
here,  that  a  strong  downward  emphasis  on  darker,  completes  the 
expresive  meaning  of  the  Poet. 

The  above  forcible  intonation  is  produced  by  the  concrete  pitch 
of  the  downward  octave :  and  as  the  downward  concrete  emphasis 
always  comences  at  a  higher  pitch  than  that  of  the  curent  melody, 
so  with  the  downward  emphasis  on  imutable  sylables,  the  change 
of  radical  pitch  is  likewise  from  an  asumed  point  above  the  curent 
melody.  This  may  be  ilustrated  by  the  folowing  example  from 
the  second  book  of  Milton. 

Far  less  abhor'd  than  these 
Vex'cT  Scylla,  bathing  in  the  sea  that  parts 
Calabria  from  the  hoarse  Trinacrian  shore. 

Others  may  please  themselves,  with  their  own  vocal  expresion 
of  this  first  line ;  I  can  satisfy  my  ear,  only  by  a  concrete  rising 
octave  denoting  an  exagerated  surprise,  on  Jar ;  then  a  descent  by 
the  radical  pitch  of  an  octave,  to  less,  for  the  emphatic  expresion 
of  the  degree  of  abhorence,  on  that  comparative  word,  by  return- 
ing to  the  level  of  the  radical  of  far,  in  the  line  of  the  curent 
melody.  It  is  not  the  place,  but  I  may  remark,  that  ab  is  to  be 
raised  an  octave  by  radical  pitch ;  and  hor'd  returned  by  a  doAm- 
ward  concrete,  of  that  same  interval;  thereby  completing  the 
forcible  expresion,  by  a  faling  and  a  rising  discrete  skip,  on  less 
and  ab,  between  a  rising  and  a  faling  concrete,  on  far  and  hor'd. 

A  similar  intonation  is  aproj^riate  to  the  line  that  folows  in  the 
text  of  the  poem. 

Nor  uglier  folow  the  night-hag. 

Here,  nor  rises  by  a  concrete  octave ;  iig  descends  discretely  by 
that  same  interval ;  li,  from  the  expresion  not  being  so  strong  its 
in  the  preceding  ca.se,  may  either  rise  by  the  discrete  third,  or  fifth, 
and  then  descend  by  its  concrete,  on  er  to  the  level  of  nor,  in  the 
curent  melody;  or  ^/tr,  si u red  as  it  wore  into  one  syluble,  may 
receve  the  direct  wave  of  one  of  tliese  intervals. 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE  DOWNAVAED   FIFTH.  419 

In  these  examples,  nothing  is  said  of  the  stres,  or  aspiration, 
necesary  for  the  full  vocal  display  of  their  expresion.  We  here 
regard  only  the  downward  movement. 

If  it  may  be  askedj  why  this  emphasis  of  do^-nward  radical 
pitch  has  not  the  effect  of  a  cadencial  close ;  it  may  be  answered j 
it  has  in  a  degree ;  but  it  is  still  an  imperfect  one,  and  not  suficient 
for  a  full  termination  of  discourse.  For  the  descent  is  from  a  point 
asumed  above  the  curent  line,  and  its  downward  reach  is  to  about 
the  level  of  that  line ;  whereas  the  true  and  final  cadence  is  made 
by  a  descent  of  two  radicals  below  the  curent  melody.  Add  to 
this,  the  cause  asigned  in  a  preceding  pa'ge,  why  the  emphasis  of 
the  downward  concrete  is  not  liable  to  be  confounded  with  the 
cadence ;  as  like  it,  the  downward  discrete  emphasis  is  readily  dis- 
tinguishable from  the  cadence,  by  the  words,  and  meaning,  and 
pause,  that  denote  the  proper  close. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the  Dovmward  Fifth. 

The  similarity  of  this  interval  to  the  octave,  the  diference  con- 
sisting in  degree  only,  renders  it  unecesary  to  do  more,  than  quote 
a  phrase  in  which  the  less  energetic  emphasis  of  the  downward 
fifth  may  be  employed.  The  word  loell,  in  the  folowing  lines, 
from  that  brief  and  beautiful  adress  to  the  City  of  London,  at 
the  close  of  the  third  book  of  Cowper's  Task,  may  receve  the 
emphatic  downward  concrete  of  the  fifth. 

Ten  righteous  would  have  saved  a  city  once, 
And  thou  hast  many  righteous.       Well  for  thee, 
That  salt  preserves  thee  ;   more  corupted  else, 
And  therefore  more  obnoxious  at  this  hour, 
Than  Sodom  in  her  day  had  power  to  be. 
For  whom  God  heard  his  Abraham  plead  in  vain. 

The  radical  change  of  the  downward  fifth  may  be  made  on  the 
word  subject,  in  the  folowing  lines,  from  the  first  act  of  Julius 


420  EMPHASIS   OF   THE   DOAVNWARD   THIRD. 

Ckesar.     In  the  second  scene,  Cassias  after  exciting  Brutus  to  a 
proud  declaration  of  his  love  of  honor,  continuesj 

I  know  that  virtue  to  be  in  you,  Brutus, 
As  well  as  I  do  know  your  outward  favor. 
Well,  honor  is  the  subject  of  my  story. 

If  this  is  alowed  to  be  the  emphatic  word,  the  meaning  here 
conveyed,  that  honor  is  positively,  the  very  mater  he  desires  to 
speak  of,  must  be  expresed  by  a  downward  intonation  on  the  word 
subject.  But  the  acented  sylable  of  this  word  is  too  short  to  bear 
the  prolonged  and  slower  concrete.  The  effect  is  therefore  to  be 
acomplished  with  a  discrete  descent,  by  assuming  the  first  sylable 
sub,  at  a  fifth  above  the  current  melody,  and  returning  to  the  line 
of  that  melody,  on  ject,  with  the  radical  skip  of  a  fifth.  Some 
other  form  of  emphasis  on  this  word  may,  in  a  n^aner,  mark  a 
kind  of  aposition  in  the  terms,  honor  and  subject ;  yet  to  an  ear  of 
discriminative  taste,  perhaps  n'one  will  give  so  striking  a  picture 
of  the  identity,  as  the  intonation,  here  proposed. 


Oj  the  Emphasis  of  the  Dotvnward  Third, 

The  downward  Third  expreses  a  more  moderate  degree  of  the 
state  of  mind,  conveyed  by  the  octave,  and  fifth.  In  the  folowing 
reply  of  Hamlet,  the  word  Queen  does  not  seem  to  require  a 
stronger  emphatic  distinction,  than  that  of  a  faling  third. 

Queen.     Have  you  forgot  me  ? 

Hayn.  No,  by  the  rood,  not  so: 

You  are  tlie  Queen,  your  husband's  brother's  wife. 

Here  we  may  again  notice  the  striking  diferenee  above  reforetl 
to,  of  the  downward  third,  when  employed  as  a  cadence,  and  as 
cmpha.sis.  In  the  former  case,  if  the  word  Queen  should  deswnd 
concretely,  from  the  line  of  the  curcnt  mohxly  to  a  third  below 
it,  the  sentence  might  seem  to  be  terminatwl  at  that  point  by  the 


EMPHASIS  OF  THE  DOWNWAED  THIRD.  421 

feeble  cadence.  In  the  later,  when  this  word  skips  to  a  third 
above  the  curent  line,  and  then  descends  concretely  to  that  line,  in 
the  maner  of  emphasis,  it  does  not  even  with  a  subsequent  pause, 
produce  a  close,  but  rather  implies  a  continuation  of  the  sentence. 
The  emphasis  of  the  downward  radical  change  of  the  third, 
may  be  made  by  a  transition  from  tlud  to  too,  in  the  folowing 
phrase. 

Cassius.     They  shouted  thrice ;   what  was  the  last  cry  for  ? 
Casca.        Why,  for  that  too. 

Of  these  last  words  that  is  to  be  taken  a  third  above  the  line  of 
the  curent  melody ;  and  too,  at  the  level  of  its  line. 

It  was  said  formerly^  the  prepared  cadence  is  produced  by  the 
radical  descent  of  a  third  below  the  curent  melody,  on  a  short 
sylable,  or  by  a  descending  concrete  third,  on  a  long  one,  preceding 
the  triad.  Still  this  descent  alone  is  not  terminative.  For  after 
descending  by  this  discrete  third,  the  last  sylable  does  not  neces- 
arily  end  with  the  down^vard  tone  required  at  a  close ;  and  it  will 
be  recolected,  that  even  this  downward  discrete  skip  of  a  third  was 
caled  a  false  cadence,  from  its  not  having  the  satisfactory  efect 
of  a  period ;  and  in  the  concrete  preparation  for  the  cadence,  the 
descent  of  the  third  can  be,  at  most,  only  a  feeble  cadence.  Con- 
sider further^  the  structure  and  meaning  of  the  phraseology  have 
a  share  of  influence,  in  denoting  the  end  of  a  sentence.  This 
downward  radical  skip  of  the  prepared  cadence,  has  in  part  the 
meaning  of  emphasis,  by  forcibly  impresing  on  the  ear  the  most 
complete  termination  of  discourse.* 


The  doA\Tiward  Second,  whether  concrete  or  discrete,  being  a 
constituent  of  the  diatonic  melody,  has  no  emphatic  power.  It 
gives  variety  to  the  curent,  by  ocasionaly  taking  the  place  of  the 
rising  interval ;  and  by  its  concrete  on  the  last  constituent  of  a 
faling  tritone,  makes  the  triad  of  the  cadence. 


*  Let  not  the  Eeader,  on  this  hint,  unecesarily  multiply  terms,  and  call 
this  the  Emphatic  cadence,  or  the  Cadencial  emphasis. 


422  E^rPHASis  OF  the  wave. 

The  downward  Semitone  lias  peculiarity,  suficient  for  a  strong 
emphatic  distinction  :  but  I  am  not  aware  of  its  being  ever  intro- 
duced alone,  into  the  diatonic  melody ;  and  in  the  chromatic,  it 
serves  only  the  purpose  of  variety,  similar  to  that  of  the  down- 
ward second  in  the  diatonic  curent. 


Of  the  Emphasis  of  the   Wave. 

The  junction  of  oposite  concretes  gives  both  by  its  quantity 
and  interval  emphatic  distinction  to  sylables  and  words. 

If  a  history  of  the  voice  should  be  writen,  from  the  practice  of 
the  mass  of  readers,  and  not  from  cultivated  and  rare  examples  of 
excelence,  it  would  be  necesary  to  add  a  Melody  of  the  Wave  to 
that  of  the  diatonic  and  chromatic;  as  many,  and  some  of  the 
world's  great  readers  and  actors  too,  aply  the  intonation  of  wider 
waves,  to  every  long  and  emphatic  sylable.  This,  to  say  the  least 
of  it  as  a  fault,  gives  the  impresive  efect  of  the  wave  to  a  whole 
sentence,  and  prevents  its  employment  as  the  means  of  emphasis 
on  a  single  word. 

The  wave,  acording  to  its  form,  expreses  admiration,  surprise, 
inquiry,  mirthful  wonder,  sneer  and  scorn  ;  and  is  emphaticaly 
used  on  long  quantities,  embracing  these  states  of  mind. 

The  dignified  diatonic  melody  is  made  by  the  wave  of  the 
second ;  and  this  is  only  a  method  of  ading  the  gravity  of  its  last 
constituent,  the  downward  second,  to  the  lighter  efect  of  the  pre- 
vious ascent  of  that  interval ;  and  of  ])roducing  at  the  same  time 
the  length  of  sylable,  so  escntial  to  solemn  uttu'anoe,  witlu)ut  the 
risk  of  faling  into  the  protracted  note  of  song.  But  the  wave  of 
the  second  never  performs  the  part  of  emjiluisis,  by  its  intonation 
alone.  Waves  of  wider  intervals,  to  give  time  and  dignity  to 
utcrance,  double  the  concrete  of  which  they  are  respectively  com- 
posed, and  have  besides,  a  striking  peculiarity  when  used  for 
em])hatic  distinction,  in  the  diatonic  melody. 

Empliatic  words  of  scorn  in  dignified  discourse  are  denoted  by 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE   EQUAL  WA\T:.  423 

the  vanishing  stres,  or  by  aspiration,  joined  with  either  the  simple 
rise  or  fall  of  a  wider  concrete,  or  with  the  direct  or  inverted  form 
of  its  single  wave.  For  there  is  a  degree  of  levity  and  familiarity 
in  the  double  wave,  unsuitable  to  dignity  of  style. 

In  considering  the  emphasis  of  the  wave,  it  is  not  my  intention 
to  ilustrate  all  its  forms.  If  the  Reader  calls  to  mind  our  history 
of  this  expresive  sign,  he  may  be  able  to  do  it  for  himself:  and 
the  varieties  of  the  wave  are  so  numerous  as  to  prevent  an  entire 
description  of  them.     I  shall  name  a  few  of  their  forms. 


Oj  the  Emphasis  of  the  Equal-single-direct   Wave 
of  the  Octave. 

The  Equal-single-direct  wave  of  the  octave  actively  expreses 
admiration  and  surprise ;  and  when  hightened  by  aspiration,  the 
vanishing  stress,  or  gutural  grating,  has  the  aditional  meaning  of 
sneer  and  scorn.  There  is  a  diference  in  the  efect  of  this  sign  on 
a  low  and  on  a  higher  pitch.  In  the  latter  case,  it  has  more  of 
the  character  of  railery,  or  mirthful  coment  than  of  wonder,  posi- 
tivenes,  or  admiration. 

It  was  saidj  the  wave  of  the  octave,  restricted  to  the  lower 
range  of  pitch,  might  be  used  in  grave  discourse.  Under  this 
view,  the  first  sylable  of  the  folowing  well-known  line,  from 
Hamlet,  might  receve  the  emphasis  of  this  expresive  intonation. 

Angels  and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us ! 

This  sentence  embraces  astonishment,  and  the  purpose  of  in- 
vocation. The  positivenes  of  the  later  requu'es  the  downward 
movement;  astonishment,  M'hich  in  this  case,  impKes  something 
of  inquiry  or  doubt,  asumes  the  upward.  But  the  invocation 
apears  to  be  the  engrosing  interest ;  and  for  their  respective  ex- 
presion,  the  sylable.  An  should  have  the  intonation  of  the  direct 
wave ;  for  this,  by  its  rising  interval  gives  the  doubtful  astonish- 


424  EMPHASIS   OF  THE   EQUAL   WAVE. 

ment,  and  by  its  subsequent  fall,  the  final  and  more  powerful 
impresion  of  the  invocation. 

In  the  folowing  notation  of  this  exclamatory  sentence,  I  have 
set  the  direct  wave  of  the  octave  on  the  first  sylable  An,  which  by 
its  indefinite  quantity,  beautifully  receves  it.  On  grace  an  em- 
phatic radical  skip  is  made  to  a  fifth  above  the  curent  melody,  with 
a  subsequent  rapid  concrete  of  the  downward  fifth ;  for  the  time 
of  this  word  will  not  bear  the  slow  concrete  of  that  interval.  The 
other  sylables  have,  in  the  diagram,  the  concrete,  and  the  radical 
pitch  of  a  tone ;  and  the  Triad  of  the  cadence,  with  a  downward 
concrete  to  each  constituent :  yet  for  a  full  expresion  of  the  state 
of  mind  they  may  take-on,  and  perhaps,  do  require  a  radical  trans- 
fer to  the  uper  line,  with  a  rapid  concrete  of  some  wider  faling 
intervals,  as  we  described  this  form  of  intonation,  in  the  seven- 
teenth section;  thereby  to  contribute  their  positive,  but  fainter 
influence,  to  that  of  the  two  emphatic  words  ;  the  whole,  with  the 
exception  of  the  rise  on  the  first  sylable,  being  ex^iresive  of  the 
earnestnes  of  the  invocation.* 


A 

n  — 

gels 

and 

min — is — ters     of     grace 

de — fend     us  ! 

1 

7 

^    ^        ^          \      ^ 

-i 

^ 

X 

T     ^   T    ^ 

T    1   • 

"^    1 

*  I  may  here  refer  to  the  gesture,  apropriate  to  this  exclamatory  wave.  In 
suposing  the  Enacting  of  this  exclamation,  I  see  the  arms  each  in  horor  tosed 
up  alike  'on  end,'  with  palm  and  finger  broadly  spread-out  in  jirotectivc 
repulsion.  The  practice  of  the  Stage,  after  more  than  two  hundred  years' 
close  study  of  the  Part,  does  not  acord  with  this  view  of  it.  What  intona- 
tion is  given  to  An,  by  great  popular  Actors,  I  have  never,  on  closely  listen- 
ing, been  able  to  trace:  their  belief,  that  such  intonation  cannot  be  taught, 
has  kept  t/icm  from  hearing  enuf,  to  tell  us.  This  sylable  together  with  the 
whole  lino  is,  on  the  apcarance  of  the  Gliost,  so  sudenly  shot-out,  that  the 
report  is  in-and-out  of  hearing  in  a  moment.  Astonishment  and  Invocation, 
on  instinctive  vocal  interjections,  are  goneraly  if  not  always,  made  on  long 
quantity:  and  we  see  how  admirably  the  word  (inr/fls  is  used  by  the  Poet,  to 
give  '  smoothnes  to  the  torent'  of  c.vclamatiun  on  its  emphatic  sylable.  But 
the  Actor's  violence  and  hury  soem  to  be  directed  by  anger  and  impatience, 
enforced  in  the  vehement  trick  of  striking  oil"  Itis  bonot.  If  the  bonct  is  to 
drop  by  the  agitation  of  horor,  let  the  true  personating  of  horor  throw  it  off, 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE   EQUAL   WAVE.  425 

When  the  single-equal  wave  of  the  octave  is  inverted,  the  em- 
phasis has  the  character  of  interogation,  from  the  ascent  of  the 
last  constituent. 


Oj  the  Emphasis  of  the  Equal-single-direct  Wave  of  the  Fifth. 

This  form  of  the  wave  caries  a  less  degree  of  afirmation,  and 
surprise,  than  that  of  the  octave;  as  in  the  folowing  example, 
from  the  contest  between  Satan  and  Death. 

And  breath 'st  defiance  here  and  scorn, 
"Where  I  reign  king  ?   and  to  enrage  the  more, 
T/iT/  king  and  lord  I 

Whoever  will  read,  with  its  proper  dramatic  efect,  the  whole 
scene  in  Milton's  second  book,  from  which  these  lines  are  taken, 
will  flndj  the  wave  now  under  consideration  may  be  set  on  the 
sylable  thy,  as  a  full  expresion  of  the  positivenes,  vaunting 
authority,  and  self-admiration,  on  the  part  of  Death. 

To  show  the  diference  in  character,  between  this  direct  wave 
and  its  invented  form,  let  the  later  be  substituted  in  the  above 
reading.  The  interogation  produced  by  the  ascent  of  its  last 
constituent,  will  not  only  obscure  the  expresion  of  the  poet,  but 
absolutely  cross  out  his  meaning ;  for  it  will  seem  to  make  Death 
insinuate  a  question,  when  he  intends  to  be  unanswerably  afirm- 
ative. 

not  a  dextrous  manuver,  when  the  hands  should  be  fixed,  or  only  trembling 
aghast.  I  would  not  here  wish  to  insinuate,  that  the  bonet  is  cast  oft",  to  turn 
aside  or  confuse  a  scrutiny  of  the  faults  of  intonation  and  gesture;  for  with 
that '  genius  '  and  acomplishment,  which  the  Great  Actor  is  siiposed  to  admire 
and  afectj  the  admision  of  eror,  is  imediately  folowed  by  an  atempt  to  corect  it ; 
but  certain]}',  nine-tenths  if  not  more,  of  what  ought  at  that  moment  to  be  a 
listening  Audience,  are  by  forcible  distraction,  made  to  be  only  Spectators  of 
a  Cap-trap  on  the  floor. 

After  the  date  of  our  fourth  edition,  I  saw  an  Actor,  excelent  in  many 
points,  quite  carefuly  hand  his  cap  .to  an  atondant.  Oh,  worse  still!  We 
have  now,  time  and  quiet  to  muse  upon  the  transfer  :  But,  '  Zounds  !  how  had 
he  leisure,'  to  think  upon  it  calmly  then. 

28 


426  EMPHASIS  OF  THE  UNEQUAL   WAVE. 

We  need  not  give  an  example  of  the  wave  of  the  Third  in  its 
equal-single  form.  If  we  supose  a  reduced  degree  of  its  expresionj 
all  that  was  said  of  the  character  of  the  wave  of  the  fifth,  both 
direct  and  inverted,  may  be  ascribed  to  the  wave  of  this  interval. 
It  is  more  comonly  employed  than  the  fifth. 


0/  the  Emphasis  of  the  Unequal-single  Wave. 

It  was  said  formerlyj  the  unequal  wave  is  used  for  the  ex- 
presion  of  admiration  and  surprise,  or  of  inquiry,  acording  to  its 
direct  or  its  inverted  course.  With  a  wide  variation  of  the  relative 
extent  of  its  constituents,  and  its  union  with  aspiration,  or  vanish- 
ing stress,  or  gutural  vibration,  it  becomes  a  forcible  sign  of  scorn. 
The  last  word  of  the  folowing  contemptuous  retort  of  Coriolanus, 
on  the  Volcian  General  who  had  caled  him  a  '  boy  of  tears,'  might 
perhaps  be  given  as  an  instance  of  the  ascent  of  a  fifth,  and  the 
subsequent  continuous  descent  of  an  octave. 

False  hound  1 
If  you  have  writ  your  anals  true,  'tis  there 
That,  like  an  eagle  in  a  dove-cote,  I 
Flutercd  your  Voices  in  Corioli ; 
Alone  I  did  it. Boy. 

It  is  not  here  the  place,  to  notice  the  strong  aspiration  nccesary 
to  exprcs  the  scornful  stiite  of  the  speaker.  I  have  heard  this  syl- 
able  pronounced  on  the  Stage,  with  the  simple  downward  emj)hasis. 
There  is  more  cool  wonder  and  self-satisfaction  in  this  intonation, 
than  belongs  to  the  vexed  pride  of  the  Roman,  and  to  his  vehe- 
ment retort  of  a  charge  of  inconstancy,  which  he  nuist  have  half- 
acknowledged  to  himself. 

In  the  folowing  lines,  from  the  contention  between  Brutus  and 
Cassius,  the  word  yea  may  bear  a  dircct-unocjual  wave,  consisting 
of  the  rise  of  a  tone  or  third  continued  into  the  fall  of  a  third  or 
fifth. 


1 


EMPHASIS   OF   THE   UNEQUAL   WAVE.  427 

For,  from  this  day  forth, 
I'll  use  you  for  my  mirth,  yea,  for  my  laughter, 
When  you  are  waspish. 

If  this  word  be  given  without  aspiration,  vanishing  stres,  or 
gutural  vibration,  the  expresion  will  perhaps  scarcely  difer  from 
that  of  the  equal  wave.  The  sneer  must  therefore  depend  on  a 
union  of  some  one  or  more  of  these  several  vocal  signs,  with  the 
simple  uterance. 

The  intonation  of  complaint,  on  the  word  wrong,  at  its  second 
place,  in  the  folowing  line,  may  be  taken  as  an  example  of  the 
emphasis  of  an  unequal  wave,  with  its  first  constituent,  a  semitone, 
and  its  second,  a  downward  third  or  fifth,  acording  to  the  force 
required  by  the  plaintive  appeal. 

You  wrong  me  every  way,  you  wrong  me,  Brutus. 

I  do  not  give  an  ilustration  of  the  double  wave  of  ^vider  inter- 
vals. Serious  and  elevated  discourse  can  have  all  its  purposes  of 
thot  and  pasion  fulfiled  without  it ;  and  it  is  not  the  design  of  this 
esay,  to  point  out  to  children  and  drolls,  the  scientific  mode  of 
derisively  imitating  the  surprise  of  their  neighbors,  by  the  curling 
mockery  of  this  vulgar  intonation.  How  far  the  double  wave  of 
the  second  may  be  employed,  for  temporal  emphasis,  I  leave  others 
to  determine. 


There  is  little  to  be  said,  on  what,  in  the  forty-first  section,  we 
call  the  Time  of  the  concrete,  as  a  means  of  emphasis.  Its  varia- 
tions are  realy  perceptible  by  strict  atention ;  but  they  are  so 
closely  united  with  the  forms  of  stres,  that  a  separate  coiLsideration 
of  them  is  unnecesary. 


428  EMPHASIS   OF   THE  TREMOR. 


Of  the  Emphads  of  the  Tremor. 

The  tremor  may  be  aplied  to  a  limited  succesion  of  svlables,  and 
in  a  maner,  constitnte  small  portions  of  a  tremulous  melody.  We 
have  here  to  consider  its  ocasional  aplication  to  one  or  two  words, 
in  the  curent  of  speech. 

The  tremor  on  a  single  tonic,  or  subtonic  element,  in  any  inter- 
val except  the  semitone,  is  the  sign  of  laughter ;  and  consequently 
joins  to  the  emphatic  meaning  of  words,  the  expresion  of  joy  and 
admiration. 

Thou  art  the  ruins  of  the  noblest  man, 
That  ever  lived  in  the  tide  of  times. 

There  is  a  degree  of  dignified  exultation,  and  a  suj^erlative 
compliment  in  this  eulogy,  that  cannot  be  properly  expresed  by 
the  simple  movement  of  the  concrete.  The  first  sylable  of  the 
emphatic  word  noblest,  utered  with  the  tremulous  intonation  of  the 
wave  of  the  third  or  second,  on  the  subtonic  n,  as  well  as  the  tonic 
0,  gives  a  vocal  consumation  to  the  earnestnes  of  the  admirative 
state  of  the  speaker. 

The  tremor  of  the  semitone  or  its  waves,  on  a  single  tonic  ele- 
ment, constitutes  the  function  of  crying.  In  the  chromatic  melody, 
it  gives  a  marked  distinction  to  emphatic  words  of  tendernes,  grief, 
suplication,  and  other  related  states  of  mind. 

The  folowing  lines  from  a  dramatic  part  of  Paradise  Lost,  in 
the  tenth  bookj  if  read  with  the  personal  action  of  the  dialogue, 
call  for  the  highest  coloring  of  the  semitone,  and  of  the  tremulous 
movement. 

Forsake  me  not  thus,  Adam  ;  witnes,  Heaven, 

Wliat  love  sincere  and  reverence  in  my  heart 

I  l)car  thee,  and  unweeting  have  ofended, 

Dnhapily  deccvcd;  Thy  siipliant, 

I  hog,  and  clasp  thy  knees  ;  berove  me  not, 

AVhereon  I  live,  thy  gentle  looks,  thy  aid, 

Tiiy  counsel,  in  this  utermost  distres. 

My  only  strcngtii  and  stay.     Forlorn  of  thee. 

Whither  shall  I  betake  me,  where  subsist? 

While  yet  we  live,  scarce  one  short  hour  perhaps. 


EMPHASIS    OF   THE   TREMOE.  429 

Between  us  two  let  there  be  peace  :  both  joining, 
As  join'd  in  injuries,  one  enmity 
Against  a  foe  by  doom  expres  asign'd  us, 
That  cruel  serpent.     On  me  exercise  not 
Thy  hatred  for  this  misery  befalen  ; 
On  me  already  lost,  me  than  thyself 
More  miserable  ;    Both  have  sin'd  ;  but  thou 
Against  God  only  ;  I  against  God  and  thee  ; 
And  to  the  place  of  judgment  will  return. 
There  with  my  cries  importune  Heaven ;  that  all 
The  sentence,  from  thy  head  remov'd,  may  light 
On  me,  sole  cause  to  thee  of  all  this  wo, 
Me,  me  only,  just  object  of  his  ire. 

By  the  lines  that  folow  in  the  Poem,  Eve  is  said  to  have  '  ended 
weeping/  and  her  suplication,  to  have  been  acompanied  ^with 
tears  that  ceased  not  ilo^ving. '  Speech  atended  with  tears  always 
employs  more  or  less  tremor.  Should  the  semitonic  tremor  how- 
ever, be  aplied  on  the  whole  of  these  lines,  the  efect  would  be 
monotonous,  and  the  characteristic  concrete  of  speech  be  lost  in 
the  agitated  voice  of  crying.  The  mingled  expresion  of  these  two 
forms  of  intonation  may  be  apropriately  shown,  by  using  the 
tremor,  only  on  selected  emphatic  words.  It  may  be  well  however 
to  remark,  that  the  above  lines  are  not  entirely  subservient  to  the 
maner  of  uterance  here  required;  for  some  of  the  sylables  em- 
bracing the  deepest  contrition,  have  not  suficient  quantity  to  alow  the 
eminent  intonation  of  the  tremor.  The  word  beg,  and  the  acented 
sylable  of  utermost  are  of  this  character ;  and  tho  they  admit  of 
the  tremulous  function  to  a  slight  degree,  still  their  limited  time 
does  not  fuly  satisfy  the  demand,  for  a  free  extension  of  the  voice. 
The  words  bereave,  only,  forlorn,  thee  and  more,  by  their  indefinite 
quantity,  give  ample  measure  to  intonation.  On  these  and  others 
that  might  here  be  pointed-out,  the  tremor  may  be  efectively  set ; 
the  rest  of  the  melody  having  the  smooth  concrete  of  the  semitone. 


430  EECAPITULATIXG   VIEW   OF   EilPHASIS. 


A  Recapitulating   View  of  Emphasis. 

On  a  close  consideration  of  the  foregoing  subject,  it  will  be  difi- 
cult  to  draw  a  definite  line  of  separation  between  emphatic  words 
and  the  rest  of  a  ciirent  melody ;  inasmuch  as  some  of  the  fainter 
cases  of  emphasis  may  scarcely  difer  from  the  simply  acentual  and 
temporal  distinction  of  sylables. 

To  what  case  then  is  the  term  emphasis  to  be  aplied  ?  Not  to 
that  of  one  sylable,  which  difers  in  any  measure  of  time,  or  degree 
of  stres  from  another.  For  by  this  rule,  we  may  consider  half  the 
words  of  language  emphatic ;  as  they  are  perpetualy  inter- varying 
by  slight  diferences  in  force,  and  quantity.  Still  however,  certain 
impresive  forms  of  uterance  always  atract  the  atention  of  an  audi- 
tory. Marked  degrees  of  stres  with  abruptnes,  extreme  length  in 
quantity,  wide  and  impresive  intervals  of  pitch,  and  a  peculiar 
vocality,  when  set  on  certain  words,  are  variously  the  constituents 
of  emphasis.  But  under  what  mental  state,  these  atractive  signs, 
first  become  emphasisj  and  at  what  point,  in  the  respective  grada- 
tions of  stres  and  time,  the  emphatic  character  excedes  the  comon 
quantity  and  acent  of  the  melody,  cannot  be  asigned,  and  perhaps 
need  not  be  known. 

Emphasis  has,  in  the  preceding  parts  of  this  section,  been  re- 
garded as  thotive,  interthotive,  and  pasionative,  under  the  agency 
of  the  five  modes  of  the  voice. 

Emphasis  may  likewise  be  considered  in  reference  to  other 
Purposes.  These  are :  First ;  to  raise  one  or  more  words  above 
the  vocal  level  of  tlie  rest  of  the  sentence,  Avithout  regard  to  their 
special  cxpresion,  or  antithesis.  Second ;  to  contrast  certain  words 
with  each  other,  or  to  contradistinguish  them.  Third ;  to  suply 
an  clipsis,  and  thereby  complete  to  the  ear  the  gramatical  con- 
struction. Fourth ;  to  mark  the  syntax,  on  ocasions  when  it 
might  be  doubtful  without  i\\c  a.sistance  of  cnqihasis. 

Another  view  of  this  subject  might  be  taken,  under  the  divisions 
of  the  Parts  of  Speech.  When  om])hnsis  is  laid  on  the  article,  it 
contradistingm'slics  a  subject  as  definite  or  indefinite,  singular  or 
plural.     On  a  noun,  it  may  either  point  out  the  relation  of  exist- 


RECAPITULATING  VIEW   OF   EMPHASIS.  431 

ence,  or  of  genus,  species,  and  individual ;  or  it  may  raise  one 
substantive-thot  above  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  without  the  ime- 
diate  view  of  any  special  antithesis.  On  an  adjective,  the  rela- 
tions of  atribute  and  degree.  On  pronouns,  its  distinctions  are 
relative  to  gender,  numbei^,  case,  and  person ;  or  it  may  indicate, 
as  on  the  article,  the  definite  character  of  a  subject.  On  the  verb, 
it  may  show  the  relationship  of  states  of  being,  acting,  and  suf- 
ering,  of  time,  and  number ;  or  distinguish  without  palpable  an- 
tithesis. On  the  adverb,  the  distinction  of  time,  place,  negation, 
afirmation,  and  inference.  On  the  preposition,  the  antithesis  of 
motion,  position,  and  cause.  On  conjunctions,  the  contrast  of 
conjunctive  and  disjunctive  relations,  and  of  condition.  On  the 
interjection,  emphasis  serves  only  for  pasionative  expresion,  with- 
out embracing  an  antithesis. 

On  the  whole,  whatever  is  the  meaning  of  any  part  of  speech, 
emphasis  may  not  only  raise  it  into  imjiortance,  and  distinguish 
it  from  some  other  meaning,  but  may  likewise  suply  an  elipsis, 
and  point  out  the  syntax. 

It  has  been  said  j  every  case  of  emphasis  includes  contrast.  This 
does  not  seem  to  be  true  of  emphatic  interjections ;  at  least  the 
antithesis  is  not  obvious.  And  with  regard  to  the  cases  included 
under  the  detail  of  other  Parts  of  speech,  the  contrast  in  many 
instances  is  not  at  the  moment,  a  subject  of  atention,  even  should 
an  antithesis  be  embraced  within  the  th5t.  Nor  does  it  apear  to 
be  true  of  the  ElipsLs,  and  of  the  Punctuative,  and  the  Emphatic  tie. 

It  •  is  not  within  the  range  of  my  design,  to  ilustrate  all  the 
cases  of  emphasis,  set-forth  in  the  above  surs-ey  of  the  parts  of 
speech.     I  here  exemplify  the  four  general  heads,  of  its  Purposes. 

First.  The  distinction  of  one  word  above  others,  without  the 
striking  perception  of  antithesis,  is  here  shown. 

But  see!  the  angry  victor  hath  recal'd 
His  ministers  of  vengeance  and  pursuit, 
Back  to  the  gates  of  Heaven. 

The  first  phrase  contains  an  interjective  emphasis  ;  yet  I  cannot 
conceve  with  what  see  is  in  contrast.  Surely  Satan,  in  drawing 
the  atention  of  the  eyes  of  Beelzebub,  did  not  mean  to  signifyj 
he  should  not  otherwise  perceve  the  recal  of  the  pursuit :  and  to 


432  EECAPITULATIXG   VIEW   OF   EMPHASIS. 

supase  see  to  be  in  antithesis  to  his  not  having  looked  before,  or 
to  his  having  a  contrasted  interest  with  some  previous  purpose,  is 
a  mere  refinement.  The  case  is  the  same  with  most  interjections, 
whether  they  are  properly  the  simple  tonic  elements,  or  with 
greater  latitude,  any  of  the  several  parts  of  speech. 

Second.  The  marked  antithesis  is  exemplified  in  the  folowing 
lines  : 

I  yielded  ;    and  from  that  time  see 

How  beauty  is  excel'd  by  7nan\y  grace, 

And  wisdom  which  alone  is  truly  fair. 

This  is  the  most  frequent  form  of  emphasis. 

Third.  The  use  of  strong  emphasis,  in  an  eliptical  sentence,  is 
remarkable  in  the  folowing  example,  from  the  first  book  of  Milton. 

Into  what  pit  thou  seest ! 
From  what  hight  fall'n  !   so  much  the  stronger  prov'd 
He  with  his  thunder. 

Taking  these  lin&s  as  a  complete  construction,  they  are  un- 
gramatical,  and  uninteligible.  To  one  acquainted  with  the  con- 
text, it  is  scarcely  necesary  to  remark  that  the  Poet  meant  to  sayj 
See  to  what  a  dreadful  pit  we  are  doomed,  consider  from  what  an 
imeasurable  hight  we  have  been  hurled,  and  learn  thereby  the 
degree  of  his  superior  power.  Or  again;  as  far  as  the  horors 
and  the  depth  of  this  pit  are  removed  from  the  bliss  and  hight 
of  heaven,  so  far  has  the  thunder  of  the  Almighty  surpased  the 
strength  of  our  colected  arms.  This  full  meiining  can  be  clearly 
brought-out  from  the  eliptical  phraseology  of  the  Poet,  only  by 
skilful  emphatic  intonation.  If  the  word  icluit,  in  its  two  })laces, 
limited  as  it  is  in  quantity,  be  given  with  an  emphasis  of  the  rapid 
downward-octave,  forcibly  aspirated,  and  with  a  loud  concrete ; 
and  if  the  suceding  words  within  the  notes  of  admiration,  be 
also  intonated  with  downward  intervals,  but  of  diminished  extent, 
it  will  vocaly  denote  an  astonisliment  at  the  precipitation  and  at 
the  doom,  not  fuly  conveyed  by  the  words  alone.  And  further, 
if  a  cadence  and  a  pause  be  made  at  falCn,  and  if  so  much  be 
strongly  emphatic,  in  any  form  that  seems  j)refcrable;  the  com- 
parison of  the  degree  of  strength  in  the  thunder,  to  tlie  measure 


RECAPITULATING   VIEW   OF   EMPHASIS.  433 

of  the  hight,  will  be  obvious ;  and  the  whole  thot  and  expresion 
■svill  come  upon  the  ear,  with  tliat  laconic  eloquence,  in  which  the 
admirers  of  the  Poet  will  be  ready  to  beleve,  they  Avere  united 
and  condensed,  in  the  excursive  and  selecting  circuit  of  his  per- 
ception. 

Fourth.  When  the  structure  of  a  sentence  is  so  much  involved, 
as  to  produce  a  momentaiy  hesitation  in  an  audience,  about  its  con- 
cord or  government,  the  syntax  may  be  rendered  perspicuous  by 
means  of  emphasis,  as  in  this  example : 

He  stood,  and  call'd 
His  legions,  Angel  forms,  who  lay  entranc'd 
Thick  as  Autmnnal  leaves  that  strow  the  brooks 
In  Vallombrosa,  where  the  Etrurian  shades, 
High  over-arch 'd,  imbower ;   or  scater'd  sedge 
Afloat,  when  with  fierce  winds  Orion  arm'd 
Hath  vexed  the  Red-sea  coast. 

If  this  passage  were  readj  Thick  as  autumnal  leaves  in  Val- 
lombrosa, or  scater'd  sedge  ajioatj  the  gramatical  construction  would 
be  clear.  But  the  chain  of  parenthetic  specifications  between  leaves 
and  or,  together  with  the  picturesk  alasion,  and  the  beauty  of  its 
phraseology,  makes  us  for  a  moment  lose  sight  of  that  intended 
transition  to  another  subject  of  ilustration,  which  should  be  im- 
ediate  and  perspicuous :  the  substitutive  purpose  of  the  conjunc- 
tion or,  not  being  at  once  aparent,  the  phrase  scater'd  sedge,  might 
at  the  instant,  be  prospectively  taken  as  a  nominative  in  some 
new  course  of  the  description.  Sliould  then,  the  phrase  thick  as 
autumnal  leaves,  be  emphatically  raised  into  memorable  notice  j 
and  the  suceding  words,  extending  to  the  semicolon,  be  huried  yet 
becomingly,  and  with  a  somewhat  monotonous  course  of  melodyj 
a  subsequent  emphasis  on  scater'd  sedge  afloat,  will  at  once  refer 
the  ear  back  to  the  last  similar  emphatic  distinction  of  the  voice, 
on  auiumnal  leaves,  and  indicate,  that  the  Angel  forms  lay  likewise 
as  thick  as  the  scatered  sedge  afloat. 

This  maner  of  denoting  the  syntax  and  the  meaning  was  caled, 
in  the  section  on  Grouping,  the  Emphatic  tie ;  and  certainly  in  the 
present  case,  it  has  no  other  object  than  to  join  these  disevered 
thots;  for  a  more  direct  and  perspicuous  arangement  would  not 


434  EECAPITULATIXG   VIEW   OF   EMPHASIS. 

require  the  emphatic  distinction.     And  the  same  is  true  of  the 
like  empliatic  use  of  the  Punctuative  reference. 


Having  enumerated  the  various  modes  of  time,  vocality,  force, 
abruptnes,  and  intonation,  hy  which  certain  words  or  sylables  are 
strongly  urged  upon  the  ear,  the  Reader  is  prepared  to  receve  the 
term  emphasis,  with  a  wider  definition  than  is  usually  given  of  it. 

Emphasis  is  a  generic  term  for  the  extraordinar}'  impressivenes 
of  the  tliotive,  interthotive,  and  pasionative  meaning  of  words; 
these  three  species  of  impresion  being  respectively  produced  by 
the  varied  uses  of  the  several  Modes  of  the  voice. 

From  this  view  it  apears,  that  Emphasis,  and  Avhat  we  have 
caled  th(3tive  and  expressive  speech,  may  be  considered  in  most 
cases,  as  convertible  generic  terms :  for  emphatic  ■words  difer  from 
such  as  are  unemphatic,  only  in  the  use  of  those  vocal  signs  which 
denote  the  mental  states  of  thot  and  pasion. 

The  preceding  analysis  Avill  enable  us  to  display  the  whole  com- 
pas  of  the  art  of  reading,  with  some  amplitude  of  plan  and  acuracy 
of  delineation.  Words  may  be  considered  as  representing  simple 
thot ;  an  enforcing  of  it ;  and  as  expresive  of  pasion.  The  prog- 
res  of  the  voice  in  speaking  is  caled  melody.  The  course  of  melody 
under  the  direction  of  simple  thot,  is  by  the  interval  of  a  tone  in 
the  radical  sucesion,  with  a  concrete  rise  of  a  tone  from  each  of 
the  radicals.  But  the  portions  of  discourse  representing  simple 
thot  are  limited ;  thots  are  to  be  enforced,  and  pasions  to  be  ex- 
presed.  The  drift  of  the  simple  diatonic  melody  is  therefore  often 
interupted,  by  an  ocurence  of  longer  quantity  and  of  Nvider  inter- 
vals of  the  scale,  both  in  the  concrete  and  discrete  forms.  It  was 
shown,  at  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  section,  that  besides  the  seven 
forms  of  radical  pitch,  caled  the  phrases  of  melody,  other  radical 
sucesions  of  wider  intervals  were  by  the  requisitions  of  speech,  in- 
troduced into  the  Curent ;  and  on  the  same  ]MMn('ij)le  which  directed 
the  construction  of  those  i)hrases,  we  have  the  phrases  of  the  third, 
fiftii,  and  octave,  both  in  the  rising,  and  the  falling  succession. 
Having  learned  liow  these  wider  phrases  are  employed,  in  \\\v  im- 


RECAPITULATIXG   VIEW   OF   EMPHASIS.  435 

portant  purpose  of  emphasis,  we  may  distinguish  them  by  an  apro- 
priate  term.  And  as  we  called  those  formed  on  the  radical  suces- 
ions  of  the  secondj  the  phrases  of  melody  or  the  Diatonic  Phrases, 
let  us  call  those  formed  on  the  radical  transitions  of  wider  intervalsj 
the  Expresive  Phrases,  or  Phrases  of  Emphasis. 

If  the  foregoing  history  has  been  suficiently  clear,  the  Reader 
may  now  be  able  to  take  a  discriminative  survey  of  that  prearanged 
system  of  plain  melody,  and  contrasted  expresion,  which  has  been 
so  long  bearing  its  part  in  the  course  of  human  th5t  and  pasion, 
without  an  ear  to  measure j  and  a  tongue  to  name  its  well  adjusted 
waysj  or  a  voice,  with  a  use  of  the  perceptive  means,  to  fulfil  its 
purposes :  and  if  his  mind  is  large  and  liberal  enuf  to  let  in 
other  thots  than  those  of  profit  and  fame,  he  may  herein  posses 
and  contemplate  at  least  the  picture  of  a  wise  and  beautiful  ordi- 
nation of  Nature,  if  he  cannot,  ambitiously  offer  it  either  for  gain 
or  aplause. 

The  exercise  of  an  atentive  ear,  together  with  a  resolute  prac- 
tice, will  be  necesary  for  the  precise  recognition  and  skilful  em- 
jDloyment  of  the  various  forms  of  vocal  expresion.  But  as  all  the 
constituents  of  speech  are  on  ocasions,  at  the  comand  of  every 
tongue,  however  eroneously  they  may  be  apliedj  a  full  perception 
of  the  principles  that  should  govern  an  educated  and  elegant  use 
of  these  constituents  mayj  even  without  the  power  properly  to 
execute  themj  enable  us  to  overlook  the  exercises  of  others,  with 
the  decisive  comendation  or  censure  of  an  inteligent  criticism; 
and  as  in  Painting,  knowledge  alone,  without  an  aplication  of  the 
rules  that  direct  an  Artist,  may  authorize  a  conclusion  on  the 
merit  of  his  workj  so,  in  the  art  of  Reading,  founded  upon  science, 
the  silent  aplication  of  its  precepts  may,  without  our  being  practical 
Elocutionists,  equaly  authorize  us  to  cary  the  steady  arm  of  knowl- 
edge against  the  self-conflicting  councils,  and  changeful  orders  of 
individual,  or  conventional  caprice  ;  to  hold-out  against  eror  with 
the  strong  defenses  of  a  learned  and  cultivated  taste ;  and  to  join 
the  delightful  but  pasing  perceptions  of  the  ear,  with  the  continued 
and  busy  pleasures  of  mental  discrimination. 

When  the  Reader  reviews  the  preceding  history,  he  is  requested 
to  consider  j  its  purpose  has  been  to  record  the  phenomena  of  speech, 
without  a  limitation  of  that  purpose,  to  points  readily  conizable  in 


436  EECAPITULATIXG   YIBW   OF   EMPHASIS. 

ordinary  uterance,  or  practically  important  in  oratorical  instruction. 
As  these  phenomena  were  heard,  so  in  strictest  acordance,  were 
they  set-down;  for  there  is  in  this  Work,  no  Contribution  to 
knowledge,  which  has  not  been  drawn  from  Nature,  by  patient 
observation  and  experiment,  conducted  within  the  limits  of  that 
little  space,  between  the  Tongue  and  the  Ear.  Many  parts  of  the 
detail  will  at  once  be  recognized  by  the  competent  Header ;  others 
will  be  afterwards  receved  into  the  growing  familiarity  of  his  in- 
quiry ;  whereas  some  of  the  descriptions  even  if  admited,  will  still 
be  considered  as  refinements,  beyond  the  reach  of  perception  and 
of  rule.  As  a  physiologist,  I  have  done  no  more  than  my  duty, 
in  this  abundant  record,  however  aparently  useles  some  of  its 
minutiae  may  be.  Much  of  the  acumulated  wealth  of  science  is 
not  at  interest ;  but  the  borroAvers  may  one  day  come.  It  is  readily 
granted,  that  some  distinctions  in  this  history  may  be  at  present 
practicaly  disregarded.  The  several  forms  of  stres  are  described 
as  palpably  difering  functions^  and  they  are  so  in  speech ;  yet  I 
have  not  ventured  to  insist  on  the  importance  of  the  diference  in 
all  cases.  So  in  describing  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  it  was  not 
designed  to  exclude  the  fourth,  sixth  and  seventh,  or  intervals  even 
beyond  the  octave,  from  the  speaking  voice.  Nor  is  it  to  be  sup- 
osed  that  some  of  the  intervals  of  intonation  may  not  on  ocasions, 
be  used  as  substitutes  for  each  other,  without  afecting  the  force 
or  precision  of  speech.  I  was  also,  far  from  ascribing  particular 
expresions  to  all  the  posible  forms  of  the  wave. 

In  here  opening  the  way  for  the  change  of  Elocution,  from  an 
imitative  Manerism,  witli  its  inherent  defects,  to  a  directive  Science, 
or  rather,  an  Art  Founded  on  Nature,  with  all  its  constituent  use- 
fulnes  and  beauty,  it  was  necesary  to  set-forth  every  function  of 
the  voice ;  that  the  materials  might  be  thereby  furnished  towards 
the  future  establishment  of  a  system  of  instruction,  for  tlK)se  who 
have  the  rare  aim  in  scholarships  of  seeking  its  liighor  acom[)lish- 
ments,  in  the  abundant  encompasing  of  principles,  and  the  con- 
densing economy  of  systematic  means.  Tliat  the  investigation  of 
this  subject  has  produced  much  that  will  be  imperceptible  to  the 
first  scrutinies  of  the  general  ear,  nuist  be  infored  from  ihe  past 
history  of  human  improvement.  Tlie  mysterious  subject  of  the 
Speaking  Voice  has  been  at  all  times  so  despairingly  considered 


DRIFT   OF   THE   VOICE.  437 

beyond  the  reach  of  analytic  perception,  that  the  suposed  imposi- 
bility  alone,  will  jjerhaps  raise  a  stronger  oposition  to  the  claims  of 
this  Demonstrative  Esay,  than  all  the  Author  might  despondingly 
have  anticij>ated  against  his  prospects,  in  undertaking  this  '  forlorn 
hope'  of  scientific  inquiry.  Many  who  in  fine  organization  of  ear, 
a  capability  of  delicate  analysis,  and  a  power  of  comprehensive 
survey,  poses  the  means  for  succesful  investigation,  will  too  prob- 
ably, shrink  from  the  labor  of  experiment,  and  seek  to  justify 
infirmity  of  resolution,  by  defensively  asuming  the  hopelesnes  of 
trial. 


SECTION   XLVII. 

Of  the  Drift  of  the  Voice. 

He  who  has  the  rare  gratification  to  hear  a  good  reader,  may 
perceve,  that  while  his  voice  is  adapted  to  the  thot  or  exprcsion  of 
individual  w^ordsj  there  is  a  character  in  its  continuous  movement, 
thru  parts  or  the  whole  of  his  discourse;  identical  during  the 
prevalence  of  that  movement,  and  changing  with  its  variations. 
Every  one  recognizes  this  diference  in  maner,  between  a  facetious 
description j  and  a  solemn  invocation  from  the  pulpit;  between 
the  vehement  stres  of  angerj  and  the  well  known  whining  of  com- 
plaint. It  is  to  this  continuation  of  any  one  kind  of  vocal  curent 
or  style,  whatever  may  be  its  thot,  or  pasion,  that  I  aply  the  term 
Drift  of  the  voice :  and  which  I  briefly  noticed  in  the  sixth  and 
eighth  sections. 

This  subject  is  not  unecesarily  specified  by  a  name,  nor  uselesly 
ofered  to  the  studious  atention  of  the  Reader ;  for  if  a  particular 
drift  is  required  on  a  portion  or  on  the  whole  of  discourse^  any 
marked  change  of  its  asumed  and  apropriate  character,  will  do 
equal  violence  to  expresion,  and  taste.  The  introduction  of  a  tone 
or  second,  into  the  plaintive  drift  of  the  chromatic  melody,  would 
no  less  ofend  against  propriety  of  speech,  than  the  erors  of  time  in 
music,  would  shock  the  sensibility  of  an  acurate  ear. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  of  drift  being  admited ;  let  us 


438  DRIFT  OF   THE  VOICE. 

consider j  Upon  what  it  is  founded ;  and  how  many  diferent  styles 
it  employs. 

Drift  is  founded  on  tlie  various  forms  of  the  four  modes  of 
vocality,  time,  force,  and  intonation.  These  forms  have  been 
described  individualy,  as  representing  thot  and  pasion,  for  the 
ocasional  purpose  of  emphasis.  We  here  consider  the  maner  of 
aplying  them,  and  their  peculiar  efect,  when  employed  on  a  part 
or  the  whole  of  the  curent  melody. 

The  questiouj  How  many  diferent  characters  drift  may  asume, 
is  to  be  answered  by  ascertaining,  which  of  the  uses  of  vocalitA', 
force,  time,  and  pitch,  will  bear  a  continuation  ;  some  not  alowing 
extended  repetition  without  producing  a  disagreeable  monotony. 
In  general,  most  of  the  forms  of  time,  stres,  and  intonation,  may 
as  ocasion  requires,  be  severaly  a  curent  melody,  Avithout  violating 
propriet}^  or  taste ;  others  can  be  employed  only  on  a  phrase  or 
a  solitary  sylable,  and  therefore  should  not  be  made  a  drift  in 
discourse. 

Altho  the  character  of  a  drift  may  pervade  the  whole  sentence, 
yet  the  peculiar  form  of  voice  which  produces  it,  is  in  some  cases 
aplied  only  to  certain  sylables.  Unacented  sylables  cannot  bear 
the  prolonged  time,  required  for  the  drift  of  dignity;  still  the 
dignity  is  spread  over  the  whole  sentence,  by  its  long  quantities 
alone.     We  here  enumerate  the  various  styles  of  drift. 

The  Drift  of  the  Second,  or  the  Diatonic  Drift.  Tlie  diatonic,  or 
as  we  otherwise  call  it  the  Thotive  melody,  is  used  for  simple 
narative  and  description ;  and  having  no  remarkable  cxpresion, 
should  be,  under  Nature's  ordination,  one  of  the  most  comon 
forms  of  drift.  The  employment  of  expresive  intervals,  when 
not  required,  in  the  plain  diatonic  curent,  violates  a  leading  law  of 
fitnes  or  decorum  in  speech.  Let  a  gazcte  advertisement  be  read 
with  the  solemn  drift  of  a  long  quantity,  or  in  the  plaintive  style 
of  the  seraitonej  and  all,  at  least  of  our  New  school  of  Criticism, 
will  acknowledge  the  improper  a})liciition  of  time  and  intonation. 
In  the  usual  course  of  the  diatonic  melody,  perhaps  tlie  upward 
concretes  predominate;  the  downward  vanish  of  the  second,  being 
ocasionaly  introduced  for  variety;  yet  when  recpilred  by  the  gravity 
of  the  subject,  the  use  of  this  downward  second  may  without 
monotony,  constitute  a  drift. 


DRIFT   OF    THE   VOICE.  439 

The  Drift  of  the  Semitone.  Enough  has  been  said  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  chromatic  melody;  it  exemplifies  the  present  head. 
This  form  is  used  in  discourse  of  a  plaintive,  tender,  and  supli- 
cating  character.  It  was  shown  in  its  proper  place,  that  every 
interval  is  practicable  on  every  kind  of  quantity ;  the  semitone 
therefore,  in  its  drift,  is  heard  on  every  sylable,  however  short; 
and  even  when  unacented. 

JTie  Dnft  of  the  Dowmcard  Vanish.  It  was  saidj  the  faling 
second  is  sometimes  used  as  a  drift.  The  downward  third  and  even 
the  fifth  is  ocasionaly  heard  in  continuation.  Their  curents  expres 
positivenes;  and  an  earnestnes  of  conviction j  with  resentment,  when 
enforced  by  stress.  The  folowing  indignant  argument  from  the 
pleading  of  Volumnia,  in  Coriolanus,  bears  the  slow- concrete  of 
the  downward  fifth  on  all  its  emphatic,  with  a  rapid  concrete  of 
the  same  interval,  on  its  other  sylables. 

Come  let  us  go : 
This  felow  had  a  Volcian  to  his  mother  ; 
His  wife  is  in  Corioli,  and  this  child 
Like  him  by  chance. 

A  continued  use  of  the  downward  intervals,  is  as  we  have 
learned,  a  form  of  drift  in  exclamatory  sentences. 

The  Drift  of  the  Wave  of  the  Seeond.  This  is  used  in  contin- 
uation on  long  quantities,  for  ocasions  of  solemn,  deliberate,  and 
dignified  speech.  I  do  not  sayj  this  wave  may  not  be  aplied  to 
sylables  of  moderately  extended  timej  and  even  rapidly  executed 
on  those  we  caled  mutabfe ;  but  it  is  on  long-drawn  or  indefinite 
quantities  that  its  efect  as  a  drift,  becomes  remarkable.  With 
an  ocasional  use  of  a  wider  wave,  longer  quantity,  and  the  median 
stres,  it  constitutes  the  Reverentive  or  Admirative  Drift. 

The  Drift  of  the  Wave  of  the  Semitone.  This  is  the  most  comon 
form  of  a  pathetic  drift :  for  the  states  of  mind  directing  the 
chromatic  melody,  generaly  call  for  slow  time  and  continued 
quantity.  Under  this,  and  the  preceding  head,  both  the  direct 
and  inverted  form  of  these  Avaves  are  used  interchangeably,  in 
their  respective  melodies.  The  rise  and  fall  of  the  simple  second, 
having  no  peculiar  character,  the  variation  if  any,  in  the  efect  of 
the  terminating-interval  of  its  direct  and  of  its  inverted  wave. 


440  DRIFT   OF   THE   VOICE. 

may  be  disregarded.  A\Tiereas,  the  strong  expresion  of  the  wider 
simple  intervals  produces  a  striking  diference  in  the  respective 
closing  concrete  of  their  direct,  and  of  their  inverted  waves. 

The  Drift  of  Quantity.  Atractive  characters  of  speech  are 
formed  on  Time.  In  discourse  expresive  of  gayety,  mirth,  anger, 
and  other  similar  states,  the  uterance  is  quick ;  and  this  is  gen- 
eraly  combined  with  the  simple  concrete  of  the  second,  together 
with  a  radical  or  vanishing  stres.  The  drift  of  long  quantity  on 
the  wave,  is  employed  in  all  solemn,  plaintive,  and  dignified 
siDcech. 

We  might  make  a  threefold  division  of  the  temporal  Drift,  into 
that  of  quick,  slow,  and  median  time. 

The  Drift  of  Force.  Loudnes  and  Softnes,  or  with  preferable 
co-relative  terms,  the  Forte  and  the  Piano,  respectively  heard  in 
continuation,  do  impres  the  ear  with  their  peculiarities ;  and  the 
failure  to  fulfil  the  purpose  of  expresion  on  either  of  these  points, 
must  be  included  among  the  faults  of  speech.  Who  will  denyj 
that  on  some  ocasions  the  drift  of  comparative  piano  would  be 
ridiculous;  and  others  again,  when  that  of  forte  would  be  disgust- 
ing bombast. 

The  Drift  of  the  Loud  Concrete.  This  is  only  reading  or  speak- 
ing with  more  than  usual  force ;  it  may  therefore  constitute  a  drift, 
and  may  be  refered  to  the  preceding  head. 

The  Drift  of  the  Median  Stress.  This  is  necesarily  conected 
with  long  quantity ;  and  generaly  with  that  of  the  wave  of  the 
second  and  the  semitone ;  for  their  prolonged  time  is  always  the 
sign  of  that  dignity,  which  for  the  most  graceful  display,  requires 
the  median  swell. 

These  nine  forms  of  drift  do,  by  their  continuation,  impres  a 
peculiar  character  on  extended  portions  of  discourse. 

Of  the  other  expresive  modes  of  the  voice,  none  are  alowable  in 
that  continuation  which,  acording  to  our  previous  acount  of  drift, 
would  properly  constitute  it.  Yet  as  the  aplication  of  some  of 
them  extends  beyond  the  limit  of  emphasis,  they  deserve  a  place 
next  in  order  to  the  full  or  Thoro  drifts.  If  the  Reader  is  disposed 
to  give  them  a  name,  they  might  be  calcd  Partial :  and  we  havej 

T/ie  Partial  Drift  of  the  Tremor.  The  trenudous  movement 
is  proper  only  on  short  and  ocasional  pasagcs,  of  what  might  be 


DRIFT   OF   THE  VOICE.  441 

called  sylabic  crying.  But  the  tremulous  expresion,  both  in  the 
plaintivenes  of  the  semitone,  and  in  the  gayety  and  exultation  of 
the  second  and  of  wider  intervals,  is  too  remarkable  to  be  long 
continued  in  the  curent  of  discourse.  For  tho  drift  is  a  kind  of 
monotony,  it  is  only  disagreeable  when  unduly  continued  or 
improperly  aplied. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  Aspiration.  States  of  mind  requiring 
aspiration  are  like  those  of  the  preceding  head,  generaly  limited 
to  temporary  portions  of  melody.  When  so  aplied,  the  character 
of  uterance  justly  entitles  it  to  the  name  of  partial  drift. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  the  Gutural  Vibration.  The  use  of  this 
scornful  form  of  expresion  is  sometimes  continued  for  more  than 
the  time,  and  the  solitary  ocasions  of  emphasis :  and  thus  produces 
a  limited  drift. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  Interogation.  The  rising  third,  fifth,  and 
octave  are  the  interogative  intervals.  Their  use  in  jjartial  intero- 
gation, excedes  so  slightly  the  extent  of  their  employment  for  em- 
phasis, as  scarcely  to  deserve  the  name  of  drift.  In  declarative, 
and  other  questions  requiring  the  thoro  intonation,  the  predomi- 
nance of  these  impresive  intervals,  gives  that  peculiar  character 
which  the  comon  ear  at  once  perceves  and  comprehends.  Still,  as 
questions  are  but  portions  of  discourse,  and  as  these  wider  inter- 
vals are  never  used  in  continuation  for  any  other  purpose,  this 
form  of  drift  must  be  considered  as  partial. 

The  Partial  Drift  of  the  Phrases  of  Melody.  The  IVIonotone 
and  the  Alternate  j)hrase  are  sometimes,  severaly  used  in  continu- 
ation, to  an  extent  that  might  constitute  a  partial  drift.  In  the 
twenty-ninth  section,  a  peculiar  character  is  respectively  ascribed 
to  these  two  phrases,  when  continuously  employed. 

It  may  be  a  question^  How  far  vocality  on  a  part  or  the  whole 
of  discourse,  might  constitute  a  drift.  The  fulnes  of  the  orotund 
may  give  a  character  of  dignity,  at  once  distinguishable  from  the 
meager  huskines  and  forceles  efforts  of  uncultivated  speech. 

These  are  the  several  drifts,  respectively  continued  thruout  dis- 
course ;  or  restricted  to  the  partial  limits  of  a  sentence  or  a  clause. 

Some  of  the  constituents  of  vocal  expresion  will  not  bear  repe- 
tition ;  and  are  therefore  not  admisible  among  the  drifts. 

It  was  saidj  interogative  sentences  of  the  Thoro  kind  might  be 
29 


442  DRIFT  OF   THE   VOICE. 

regarded  as  carrying  a  partial  drift  of  the  third,  fifth,  or  octave. 
AVith  the  exception  of  this  case,  these  wider  rising  intervals  are 
never  corectly  used  in  continuation.  The  minor  third,  used  plain- 
tively in  crying  and  song,  is  in  no  way  alowable  as  a  drift j  Nature, 
for  some  wise  purpose,  having  excluded  this  sign  from  what  she 
intended  to  be  agreeable  and  efective  speech.  Its  peculiarity  will 
be  shown  when  we  treat  of  the  faults  of  speakers. 

A  current  of  these  wider  simple  intervals  being  forbiden  in 
melody,  their  combination  into  the  wider  waves  cannot  be  ex- 
tended beyond  the  limited  place  of  emphasis.  There  is  however, 
a  drift  of  this  kind  observable  as  a  fault  in  readers ;  nay,  some,  in 
their  ambitious  eforts  can  comand  no  other  form  of  intonation. 
But  the  least  cultivation  of  ear  rejects  the  undue  repetition  of  these 
florid  constituents  of  speech. 

Of  the  streses,  none  except  the  Median  and  the  Loud  concrete 
are  employed  as  a  drift.  The  Radical  would  perhaps,  be  made  a 
curent  style  in  a  language  of  only  emphatic  and  imutable  sy lables ;  • 
and  some  bad  speakers,  particularly  Pleaders  at  the  Bar,  who  think 
thereby  to  hammer-in  their  argument  j  do  use  this  stres,  as  if  their 
own  had  been  so  constructed ;  it  is  however  too  forcible  to  bear 
continued  repetition,  without  ofending  the  ear  and  distracting  the 
mind.  The  Vanishing  and  the  Compound,  are  too  remarkable  as 
well  as  too  violent,  to  form  a  drift :  and  it  need  scarcely  be  saidj 
the  Emphatic  vocule  cannot  be  so  used.  As  to  the  Thoro  Stress  ; 
whenever  it  shall  be  generaly  employed  as  a  boorish  drift,  on  long 
quantitiesj  the  peculiar  music  of  speech,  every  oratorical  grace,  and 
the  comon  social  and  wayside  decencies  of  the  tongue,  will  long 
before  have  left  it. 

There  is  a  point  worthy  of  some  attention,  in  the  art  of  read- 
ing, and  nearly  related  to  the  subject  of  this  section.  I  mean  that 
notable  change  of  voice,  required  in  the  transition  from  one  para- 
graph or  division  of  discourse  to  another.  It  may  be  suposed, 
this  is  already  included  in  the  foregoing  history  of  drift.  Siiould 
there  be  a  strong  or  peculiar  expresion  in  the  new  paragraph,  it 
will  be  plainly  distinguished  by  its  proper  character.  Yet  with- 
out seeing  the  page,  we  sometimes  know  tliat  a  reiuler  is  pjising  to 
a  new  subject,  even  when  there  is  no  striking  alteration  of  style : 
and  when  the  plain  diatonic  melody  continues,  after  the  transition. 


DRIFT  OF  THE  VOICE.  443 

The  recognition  in  this  case,  is  produced  by  several  means.  First. 
By  the  period  preceding  the  change,  being  made  with  that  most 
complete  close,  the  prepared  cadence ;  this  indicates  the  termina- 
tion of  a  preceding,  and  the  transition  to  another  subject.  Second. 
By  a  pause,  longer  than  that  between  sentences  nearly  related  to 
each  other.  Third.  By  the  suceding  sentence  or  paragraph,  be- 
gining  at  a  pitch  above  or  below  the  line  of  the  previous  curent. 
Fourth.  By  a  striking  contrast  between  the  triad  of  the  cadence 
preceding  a  pause,  and  the  outset  of  a  folowing  phrase. 

These  vocal  indications  make  the  change  of  subject  obvious, 
when  a  peculiar  construction  of  the  sentence  imed  lately  folowing 
the  period,  defers  the  development  of  its  thot  or  expresionj  and 
renders  it  imposible  to  ascertain,  by  the  few  first  words,  whether 
the  proximate  sentences  are  imediately  or  remotely  related  to  each 
other. 

From  a  review  of  this  subject j  it  apears  that  many  of  the  vocal 
signs  may  be  continuously  used  as  a  drift,  without  producing 
monotony ;  some  admiting  of  repetition,  only  to  a  certain  extent ; 
others  cannot  be  aplied  beyond  the  solitary  place  of  emphasis.  By 
a  beautiful  fitnes,  and  consistency,  these  signs  when  inadmisible  as 
a  drift,  have  a  very  striking  character,  and  are  reserved  for  only 
the  ocasional  purposes  of  emphatic  distinction.  From  this  cause, 
the  downward  eighth,  with  its  impresive  intonation,  is  never  used 
in  drift.  The  case  is  similar  with  the  wider  forms  of  the  wave ; 
and  with  the  rising  third,  fifth,  and  octave,  when  not  employed 
for  interogation. 

After  what  has  been  said,  a  little  atention  will  show  that  several 
drifts  may  exist  at  once,  in  the  same  melody.  A  curent  of  the 
second,  of  short  time,  and  of  loudnes,  may  be  united.  In  like 
maner  we  may  have  a  combination  of  the  drifts  of  the  piano  or 
the  forte,  with  a  wave  of  the  second,  a  long  quantity,  and  a  me- 
dian stress.  The  Reader  can  ascertain  which  of  them  may  be 
combined,  by  knowing  the  compatible  characteristics  of  the  several 
means  of  expresion ;  for  they  are  united  in  every  practicable  way. 
It  is  not  necesary  to  give  extracts  from  authors,  to  ilustrate  the 
various  kinds  of  drift.  With  a  knowledge  of  the  modes  of  the 
voice,  and  their  forms,  together  with  the  foregoing  history  of  their 
general  and  particular  uses,  further  explanation  is  unecesary.   For 


444  DRIFT   OF   THE   VOICE. 

I  am  not  less  solicitous  to  limit  the  pages  of  this  esay,  than  desirous 
to  extend  the  measure  of  its  instruction. 


We  have  si3oken  of  the  material  of  drift,  variously  consisting 
of  the  several  modes  of  the  voice.  It  may  be  otherwise  regarded 
as  directed  by  thot  and  pasion,  which  respectively  employ  the 
forms,  degrees  and  varieties  of  those  modes.  From  this  view, 
and  from  what  w^e  have  learned  in  previous  parts  of  this  esay,  it 
apearsj  the  modes  of  the  voice  may  be  generalized  with  every 
other  voluntary  and  designed  animal  action ;  and  shown  to  be  like 
them,  directed  by  a  preceding  mental  condition.  This  being  the 
entire  proces  of  the  mind  with  vocal  signs,  it  folows  that  the  indi- 
vidual state  of  thot  or  pasion,  and  its  directive  mental  curent  or 
Drift,  each  produces  respectively,  its  individual  vocal  sign,  and  its 
intended  vocal  curent.  Nor  can  there  be  good  reading  without 
it ;  for  an  apropriate  mental  drift  is  required  to  direct  and  sustain 
the  varied  character  of  uterance.  A  dignified  curent  of  unexcited 
thot,  with  its  proper  constituents  under  full  comaud,  and  with 
suficient  practice,  will  always  insure  a  just  execution  of  the  plain 
diatonic  or  thotive  drift.  A  reverentive  and  admirative  curent 
will  direct  a  still  dispasionate,  but  more  solemn  and  dignified  uter- 
ance of  its  curent  sign.  And  in  like  maner,  the  mental  curent  of 
the  various  pasions  will  direct  the  proper  vocal  curent  for  each. 
If  then  the  mental  curent  of  the  three  several  styles  should  be 
interupted,  tliere  must  be  a  change  in  the  uterance  :  and  we  may 
percevej  that  a  well-ordered  state  of  mindj  a  full  knowledge  and 
comand  of  the  constituents  of  the  voiccj  an  acurate  ear,  and  an 
inteligent  exercise  of  it,  are  four  })rincipal  causes  of  corect  and 
elegant  speech.  We  learned  formerly^  there  is  no  long  continued 
curent  of  these  several  states  of  mind,  nor  of  their  vocal  signs; 
and  that  the  dii'erent  states,  with  their  signs  often  interchangeably 
displace  each  other.  This  does  not  liowever  afect  tlie  acordance 
between  the  mind  and  the  voice;  the  groat  esential  of  a  true  and 
elegant  elocution ;  for  the  vocal  curent  changes  with  the  state  of 
mind,  and  speech  is  still  consistent  with  its  rule.  • 


DRIFT   OF  THE   VOICE.  445 

From  a  proper  physical  investigation,  this  apears  to  be  the  uni- 
versal means  for  executing  the  united  purposes  of  the  mind  and 
the  voicej  destined  under  the  influence  of  education  and  taste,  to 
suplant  the  delusions  of  that  metaphysical  ignorance,  or  a  knowl- 
edge of  nothingj  in  which  every  asuming  Individual  gropes  among 
his  own  conceits,  for  the  elocutionary  Intuition  that  may  enable 
him  to  read  with  proper  'understanding  and  feeling;'  but  with 
its  Legion  of  different  Individualities,  can  never  frame  for  itself 
a  general  rule  of  vocal  expresion ;  and  that  with  the  contentious 
temper  of  contradictory  notions,  can  only  set  the  Intuitive  'feeling 
and  understanding'  of  one  individual,  against  those  of  another. 

I  will  ilustrate  this  subject  of  mental  and  vocal  drift,  by  a 
familiar  example.  Let  the  Reader  give  an  important  direction  to 
a  servant.  He  will  perceve  in  himself,  an  earnest  and  moderately 
imperative  state  of  mind,  the  drift  or  curent  of  which  is  not  to 
be  broken,  except  by  explanation,  or  by  a  pasing  reflection.  The 
vocal  drift  of  this  Direction  is  diatonic,  with  the  downward  third 
or  fifth,  on  the  acented  sylables,  acording  to  the  earnestnes  of  the 
case.  Under  this  vocal  sign  the  direction  will  accord  with  the 
state  of  mind.  And  whenever  we  shall  ocupy  ourselves  on  the 
state  and  action  of  our  minds,  with  as  much  interest  as  we  take  in 
our  selfish  wants,  and  acts  of  folly  or  erorj  that  state  and  action 
will  be  as  self-jDcrceptible  as  the  vocal  sign  which  denotes  it.  We 
will  aply  this  principle  of  the  acording  mental  and  vocal  drift,  to 
the  scene  of  Hamlet  with  the  Player. 

Hamlet's  part  has  three  purposes :  Direction j  and  as  Shakspeare 
could  not  or  never  would  write,  without  themj  Coment,  and  Re- 
flection. The  first  is  here  distinguished  by  italics ;  the  coment  by 
curved,  and  the  reflection  by  angular  brackets.  The  purpose  of 
the  inclusive  interlinear  braces  will  be  stated  presently. 

Ham.  Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced  it  to  you,  tripinghj  upon 
the  tongue :  (but  if  you  mouth  it,  as  many  of  our  players  do,  1  had  as  lief  the 
town-crier  spoke  my  lines.)  Nor  do  not  saw  the  air  too  much  loith  your  hand, 
thus ;  but  use  all  gently :  for  in  the  very  tempest,  torent,  and  as  I  may  say, 
whirlwind  of  your  pasion,  you  must  acquire  and  beget  a  temperance  that  may 
give  it  sm.oothness.  [0,  it  ofends  me  to  the  soul,  to  hear  a  robustious  periwig- 
pated  felow  tear  a  pasion  to  taters,  to  very  'rags,  to  split^  the  ears  of  the 
groundlings  ;  who  for  the  most  part,  are  capable  of  nothing  but  inexplicable 
dumb-show  and  noise:  I  would  have  such  a  felow 'vvhiped,  for  o'erdoing'  Ter- 


446  DRIFT  OF  THE   VOICE. 

magant ;  it  out-lierods  Herod  :]  Pray  you  avoid  it.  Be  not  too  tame  neither, 
but  let  your  own  discretion  he  your  tutor :  suit  the  action  to  the  word,  the  word  to 
the  action;  with  this  special  observance,  that  you  overstep  not  the  modesty  of 
Nature  ;  (for  any  thing  so  overdone  is  from  the  purpose  of  playing,  whose 
end,  both  at  the  first,  and  now,  was  and  'isj  to  hold  as  it  were,  the  miror  up  to 
Nature;  to  show  virtue  her  own  feature,  scorn  her  own 'jniage, and^  the  very 
age  and  body  of  the  'time,  his'  form  and  presure.)  Noio  this  overdone,  or  come 
tardy  off,  tho  it  make  the  unskilful  laugh,  cannot  but  make  the  judicious  grieve ; 
the  censure  of  which  one,  must  in  your  aloicance,  o^erweigh  a  whole  theater  of 
others.  [O,  there  be  players,  that  I  have  seen  play,  and  heard  others  praise 
and  that  highly,  not  to  speak  it  profanely,  that  neither  having  the  acent  of 
Christians,  nor  the  gait  of  Christian,  pagan,  nor  man,  have  so  struted  and 
belowed,  that  I  have  thot  some  of  Nature's  journeymen  had  made  them,  and 
not  made  them  wellj  they  imitated  humanity  so  abominably.] 

Player.     I  hope  we  have  reformed  that  indiferently  with  us. 

Ham.  0,  reform  it  altogether,  and  let  those  that  play  your  clowns,  speak 
no  more  than  is  set  down  for  them:  (for  there  be  of  them,  that  will  themselves 
'laughj  to  set  on^  some  quantity  of  baren  spectators  to  laugh  too ;  tho  in  the 
meantime,  some  necesary  question  of  the  play  be  then  to  be  considered  ;  that's 
vilainous;  and  shows  a  most  pitiful  ambition  in  the  fool  that  uses  it.)  Go 
make  you  ready. 

The  mental  and  the  vocal  Drift  for  the  Directive  part  of  this 
Advice,  was  described  under  the  preceding  example  of  a  strict 
order  to  a  servant.  The  Coment  being  something  explanatory, 
or  ilustrative,  or  questionablej  and  employing  a  diferent  state  of 
mind,  is  to  be  utered  with  a  less  positive  intonation.  The  Re- 
flective portion  embracing  the  mental  condition  of  disaprobation, 
or  derision,  or  contempt,  should  receve  the  more  forcible  expresion 
of  earncstnes,  and  sneer.  And  both  the  Coment  and  Reflection 
are  to  be  given  with  a  variety  of  upward  and  downward  intervals, 
and  wavesj  as  the  knowledge  and  the  taste  of  the  speaker,  grounded 
on  the  philosophy  of  the  voice,  may  direct. 

To  ilustrate  some  of  our  principles  of  stres  and  intonation^  I 
have  merely  marked  with  the  comon  accntual  symbol,  what  apear 
to  be  emphatic  words ;  but  have  not  time  to  asign  causes  for  the 
choice.  At  six  places  I  have  included  under  interlinear  braces, 
certain  words  to  be  caried  beyond  their  apointed  and  still  preserved 
pauses,  on  the  plirase  of  tlie  monotone.  The  })in'pose  of  this 
monotone  is  to  unite  upon  the  car,  the  act  with  its  cause  or  pur- 
pose :  as  in  the  first  casej  the  tearing  to  rags,  is  to  split  the  ears 
of  the  groundlings ;  in  the  second,  the  cause  of  the  whipiug,  is  tlie 


DRIFT   OF   THE   VOICE.  44T 

o'erdoing  of  Termagant ;  in  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth,  the  pur- 
pose of  playing,  is  severaly  to  hold  the  miror  up  to  nature^  to  show 
virtue  lier  own  feature,  scorn  her  own  image,  and  the  body  of  the 
time,  his  form  and  presure.  In  the  sixth,  the  idle  laughj  is  to  set- 
on  idle  spectator  to  laugh  too.  In  this  reading,  it  is  the  monotone 
bridging  as  it  were  the  pauses,  with  its  level  reach  of  voice,  that 
agists  raaterialy  in  conecting  the  cause  and  purpose  with  their 
object.  There  is  an  example  of  the  emphatic  tie  on  the  words 
players,  play,  praise,  that,  and  havej  with  a  moderate  flight,  and 
abatement  on  intermediate  clauses.  The  design  of  this  grouping 
is  to  conect  by  vocal  means,  five  words  separated  in  the  construc- 
tion ;  thereby  to  bring  to  the  foreground  of  perception,  the  player, 
his  habit  of  bombastic  action,  and  his  unmerited  praise.  If  in 
this  instance,  who  were  substituted  for  thaij  the  chain  of  the  em- 
phatic tie  would  be  stronger  and  brighter,  from  the  greater  stres 
practicable  on  its  tonic  element,  and  indefinite  quantity.  The  tie 
is  also  to  be  aplied  to  judicious,  and  which  one;  to  overstep,  and  so; 
to  end  and  hold  and  miror.  I  would  set  a  feeble  cadence  on  ground- 
lings ;  and  a  rising  third  on  the  laugh,  that  folows  unskilful;  a 
faling  third  on  grieve;  and  a  faling  fifth  on  well,  after  made  them. 

On  the  subject  of  mental  drift,  I  would  ask  the  Readerj  if  he 
does  not  know  when  he  is  angry,  or  pleased,  or  sorowful,  aston- 
ished, or  inquisitive  ?  For  these  are  curent  states  of  mental  drift, 
which j  if  bad  example  has  not  confused  or  destroyed  the  original 
conection  between  the  mind  and  the  voicej  will  enable  hira  to 
speak  properly,  under  a  general  rule  of  Educated  Nature,  that 
Shakspeare  here  aludes  to,  but  did  not  turn  aside  to  explain. 

In  practicaly  regarding  the  comprehensive  bearing  of  these 
masterly  hints  of  advice,  I  might  show  it  to  be  an  exemplification 
of  a  pasing  thotj  that  if  generaly,  a  player  is,  in  his  human  char- 
acter, as  obviously  educated  to  bad  reading,  as  the  '  sparks  fly  up- 
wardj'  Nature,  by  the  instinct  of  her  Dramatic  Favorite,  has 
shown,  in  his  unusual  endowment,  how  'prone'  she  is  to  perfec- 
tion, by  the  indication  of  her  laws  of  a  true  and  expresive  elocu- 
tion, enfolded  within  these  general  but  sagacious  precepts.  And 
must  I  draw  atention  to  it  ?  There  is  not,  alas !  thruout  the 
whole  leson,  except  in  the  vague  direction  about  actionj  an  alu- 
sion  to  the  important  mode  of  Speaking-Intonation  ;  which  how- 


448  VOCAI.  SIGNS   OF   THOT   AND   PASIOX. 

ever,  from  the  Author's  many  metaphoric  references  to  it,  and 
from  his  fine  musical  earj  must  have  strongly  afected  him.  Nor 
can  yve  avoid  infering,  that  in  Shakspeare's  day,  the  subject  of  'the 
tones  of  the  voice'  with  their  only  nomenclature  of  high  and  loio, 
was  suposed  then,  as  this  'age  of  progres'  regards  it  nowj  to  be 
beyond  the  reach  of  analysis,  and  consequently  without  a  claim  to 
be  tat.  And  here  the  Great  Philosopher-Poet,  strangely  unlike 
himself,  in  ceasing  to  observe  and  reflectj  went-alongj  as  Bacon 
the  Great  Poet-Philosopher  did  with  his  belief  in  a  metaphysical 
Spiritj  harnesed-in  with  the  unthinking  mind  of  the  crowd. 

Enuf  has  been  urged  in  this  volume,  against  the  self-suficient 
'genius'  of  the  Actor,  and  the  'natural  maner,'  of  the  old  school 
of  elocutionj  to  prevent  what  is  here  said,  from  encouraging 
a  conceit,  that  with  only  an  instinctive  thot  and  pasion,  and  a 
voice  to  uter  them,  we  can  spontaneously  speak  with  propriety  and 
taste :  a  notion  altogether  as  vain,  as  that  with  the  best  instincts 
of  virtue  and  sagacity,  the  great  mass  of  us  can,  under  the  present 
narow  and  conflicting  systems  of  scholastic,  moral,  political,  and 
religious  education,  ever  hope  to  be  wise,  or  hapy  or  great. 


—•»e  ©»«••— 

SECTION  XLVIII. 

Of  the    Vocal  Signs  of  That  and  Pasion. 

In  describing  the  various  modes  and  forms  of  the  voice,  I 
severaly  named  and  exemplified,  the  most  striking  distinction 
between  the  Diatonic  vocal-signs,  denoting  the  simple  state  of 
mind,  we  caled  thots;  and  the  Expresive  signs  of  that  active  state, 
variously  and  vaguely  termed  in  comon  language,  'emotion,  senti- 
ment, feeling,  and  pasion.'  This  should,  to  the  extent  it  propose**, 
satisfy  the  Reader;  for  it  describes,  in  its  own  general  way,  all 
that  to  me  at  least,  is  audible  and  capable  of  measurement.  But 
former  systems  of  Elocution,  having  embraced  a  detailed  enumera- 
tion of  the  pasions,  without  however,  posesing  the  means,  and 


VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THOT  AXD   PASIOX.  449 

without  perceving  the  necesity,  of  designating  the  special  and 
apropriate  voice  for  these  various  states  of  the  mindj  a  like  enu- 
meration, closing  the  vocal  sign  respectively  with  the  thot,  and  the 
pasion,  may  perhaps  be  demanded  here. 

Thei'e  is  a  kind  of  hypocritical  compliment  always  paid  to 
originality,  with  this  inconsistent  purposej  that  mankind  are  eager 
to  receve  what  is  new,  provided  it  is  told  in  the  old  way.  I  can 
supose  a  Reader  who,  after  all  that  has  been  said  on  the  states  of 
mind,  and  their  vocal  signsj  may  from  the  habit  of  a  scholastic 
method  and  a  term,  still  look  for  a  separate  section  on  the  '  Pas- 
ions,'  embracing  the  many  unmeaning  atempts  to  describe  their 
expresion.  To  change  this  habit,  if  a  habit  can  be  changed  by 
any  thing  entirely  diferent  from  itselfj  and  to  satisfy  an  expecta- 
tion by  an  unexpected  substitute  for  its  erorsj  I  ofer  in  the  present 
section,  a  more  systematic  view  and  conected  detail  of  the  subject, 
and  at  the  same  time  enlarge  and  further  ilustrate  our  former 
acount  of  the  vocal  signs  of  thot  and  pasion. 

I  had  ocasion  in  the  introduction,  to  notice  the  limited  degree 
of  our  knowledge,  in  some  of  the  scholastic  departments  of  Elocu- 
tion ;  and  having,  from  the  first,  resigned  myself  to  the  authority 
of  observation,  have  endeavored  far  as  posible,  to  avoid  that  refer- 
ence to  old  systems  and  opinions,  which  might  produce  both  con- 
troversy, and  quotation:  knowiugj  there  is  within  the  limited 
pretensions  of  these  departments,  much  that  is  uninteligible,  and 
more  that  is  eroneous.  We  are  now  about  to  leave,  for  a  moment, 
the  definite  and  luminous  prototype  of  Nature,  to  contrast  her 
lights,  with  the  mysterious  shades  of  the  opinions  of  men. 

No  author,  as  it  apears,  has  paid  more  atention  to  the  subject 
of  Inflection  or  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  voice,  particularly  in  its 
practical  aplication,  than  Mr.  Walker.  Indefinite  as  he  is  on  this 
point,  he  excedes  in  specified  rule,  all  that  is  said  by  Aristotle, 
Cicero,  Dionysius,  Quinctilian,  and  the  Older  Musicians.  It  is 
true,  Mr.  Walker  owes  his  superficial  analysis  to  them;  but  in  his 
knowledge  of  the  purpose  and  use  of  Inflectionj  infering  from 
their  records j  he  fairly  '  treads  upon  that  Greek  and  Roman  glory, ' 
which  national  vanity  first  proclaimed,  and  the  subsequent  cre- 
dulity of  European  scholarship  was  simple  enuf  to  magnify  and 
repeat. 


450  VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THoT   AND   PASION. 

Let  US  hear  then  what  ISIr.  Walker  says  of  the  vocal  represen- 
tation of  the  pasions. 

'  It  now  remains,'  observes  this  author,*  ^to  say  something  of 
the  pasions  and  emotions  of  the  speaker.  These  are  entirely  inde- 
pendent on  the  modulation  of  the  voice,  tho  often  confounded  with 
it;  for  modulation  relates  only  to  speaking  loudly  or  softly,  in  a 
high  or  in  a  low  key,  while  the  tones  of  the  pasions  or  emotions 
mean  only  that  quality  of  sound  that  indicates  the  feelings  of  the 
speaker  without  reference  to  the  pitch,  or  loudness  of  the  voice. ' 

Again  in  the  hundred  and  sixty-sixth  page. 

'  The  truth  is,  the  expresion  of  pasion  or  emotion  consists  in 
giving  a  distinct  and  specific  quality  to  the  sounds  we  use,  rather 
than  in  increasing  or  diminishing  their  quantity,  or  in  giving  this 
quantity  any  local  direction,  upwards  or  downwards. ' 

And  again  in  another  work.f 

'  As  to  the  tones  of  the  pasions  which  are  so  many  and  so  various, 
these  in  the  opinion  of  one  of  the  best  judges  in  the  kingdom,  are 
qualities  of  sound  ocasioned  by  certain  vibrations  of  the  organs  of 
speech,  independent  on  high,  low,  loud,  soft,  quick,  slow,  forcible  or 
feehle.'X 

It  often  happens  with  modern  aspirants  after  some  of  the 
sciences  in  the  schoolsj  as  it  did  with  those  who  anciently  under- 
went the  mumery  of  admision  to  the  mysteries  of  Eleusis^  to  hear 
themselves  adressed  in  an  incomprehensible 'language.  What  in- 
struction, for  instance,  can  be  gathered  from  this  definition,  if  it 
strictly  deserves  the  name  ?  '  The  tones  of  the  passions  mean  only 
that  quality  of  sound  that  indicates  the  feelings.'  Here  instead  of 
an  explanatory  description  of  a  thing,  we  are  presentetl  with  a 
truism  in  a  periphrase.  For,  as  the  terms  '-pasions'  and  'feelings' 
must  here  be  synonymous,  as  well  as  those  of  'tone'  and  'quality 
of  sound,'  the  varied  proposition  may  stand  thus  :  '  the  tones  of  the 
{or  the  tones  which  indicate  the)  pasions,  mean  only  the  tones  which 

*  Elements  of  Elocution,  pac^^  308,  Am.  ed. 

■}•  Observations  on  Greek  and  Latin  quantity,  apended  to  Walker's  Key  to 
the  pronunciation  of  ancient  proper  names. 

I  Let  us  here  consider,  that  Mr.  "Walker's  oj)inions  have  been,  for  the  greater 
part  of  a  century,  and  still  are,  the  source  from  which  nearly  all  the  school- 
books  on  elocution  have  been  drawn,  in  this  Country,  and  thruout  tho  British 
Dominions. 


VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THoT   AND   PASION.  451 

indicate  tlie  pasions  :'  or  with  less  waste,  '  the  tones  of  the  pasions 
are  the  tones  of  the  pasions.' 

The  second  extract  however,  seems  to  contain  a  real  distinction 
between  the  subject  and  the  predicate :  as  by  'quality'  the  author 
may  mean  that  mode  of  the  voice,  specified  in  this  esay,  by  the 
termsj  full,  harsh,  slender,  natural,  falsete,  whisper  and  orotund ; 
for  these  are  the  only  existing  forms  of  vocal  sound,  besides  those 
which  Mr.  Walker  has  excluded  from  his  definition.  But  if  pitch, 
wdiich  is  here  meant  by  'local  direction,'  be  denied  a  place  among 
the  signs  of  pasionj  where  shall  we  class  the  plaintive  wave  of  the 
semitone,  the  rising  intervals  of  interogation,  and  the  downward 
vanish  that  conspicuously  mark  the  various  degrees  of  surprise? 
AVhere  arrange  the  efect  of  the  diferent  measures  of  time,  and 
the  various  degrees  of  stres,  if  speaking  'loudly  or  softly,'  and 
'increasing  or  diminishing  the  quantity'  of  sound  have  no  agency 
in  the  vocal  representation  of  pasion  ? 

The  real  motive  of  Mr.  Walker,  in  excluding  intonation,  stres, 
and  time,  from  among  the  signs  of  the  pasions,  and  in  his  assign- 
ing the  expresion  of  speech  to  a  certain  unexplained  cause  called 
'quality,'  is  clearly  manifested  in  the  last  quotation;  for  here,  this 
opinion,  on  the  expresive  power  of  his  term  quality j  as  it  is  no  more 
than  a  wordj  is  ascribed  to  'one  of  the  best  judges  in  the  kingdom.' 
After  all  then,  this  confused  notion  concerning  the  pasions  was 
adopted  upon  authority,  by  Mr.  Walker ;  and  this  confesion  of  his 
faith  in  others,  certainly  did  not  acord  with  his  repeated  claims  to 
originality  of  observation.  An  original  observer  holding  himself 
responsible  for  his  report,  cros-questions  the  testimony  of  his 
senses ;  the  borower  of  opinions  is  always  less  scrupulous^  as  he 
himself  never  designs  to  stand  security  against  the  folly  or  mis- 
chief of  his  promulgations. 

What  has  been  recorded  in  our  previous  history,  may  induce 
the  Eeader  to  smile  at  the  above  quotations ;  and  enable  him  to 
perceve,  that  the  vocal  signs  of  the  pasions  are  no  more  than  the 
every-day  audible  sounds  of  the  manifest  Modes,  Forms,  and  de- 
grees of  Vocality,  Time,  Force,  Abruptnes,  and  Pitch ;  and  that 
the  greater  part  of  these  signs  are  derived  from  those  very  causes, 
which  are  declared  by  Mr.  Walker,  to  have  no  agency  in  impas- 
ioned  uterance.     With  regard  to  the  'specific  quality'  here  asumed 


452  VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THOT   AND   PASIOX. 

as  the  vocal  material  of  expresion,  it  is  not  alowable  to  supose, 
the  mode  of  voice  calecl  in  this  essay,  Vocality  or  Kind,  is  meant 
by  Mr.  Walker's  term;  his  acount  of  'quality'  being  complicated 
with  an  atempt  to  derive  its  proximate  cause,  from  some  uninteli- 
gible  system  of  'vibrations.' 

Let  the  whole  pass  as  an  instance  of  that  unatural  paternity  in 
instruction,  which  when  asked  for  bread,  dispenses  nothing  but  a 
stone.  And  at  the  same  time  let  it  apologize  for  any  aparently 
unbecoming  expresions  that  may  have  droped  from  my  pen,  wlien 
unavoidably  brought  into  contact  with  those  grosser  erors  of  indo- 
lence or  authority,  whichj  viewed  along  with  the  means,  and  pre- 
tensions of  Magisterial  as  distinct  from  Natural  Science^  seem  to 
be  almost  unpardonable. 

In  reconsidering  the  subject  of  Expresion,  under  another  view, 
it  is  not  my  intention  to  go  into  a  disertation  on  the  pasions,  or  to 
contend  with  authors  about  the  scheme  of  their  arang-ement.  I 
shall  describe  them  with  reference  only  to  the  purpose  of  the 
present  section,  without  designing  to  regard  their  other  relation- 
shijjs. 

In  the  sixth  section,  we  described  three  diferent  conditions  of 
the  States  of  Mindj  and  three  forms  of  the  vocal  signs,  that  sev- 
eraly  represent  them :  but  here  for  a  moment,  clasing  the  inter- 
thoughtive  with  the  pasionative,  we  regard  the  states  of  mind, 
under  two  divisions.  To  the  division  of  Simple  Thot,  the  inter- 
val of  tlie  second  is  alotted.  To  that  of  Pasion,  the  numerous 
forms  and  varieties  of  the  other  intervals,  and  the  impresive  forms 
of  vocality,  time,  abruptnes,  and  force.  These  two  divisions  of 
the  voicej  the  thdtive,  and  the  pasionative,  include  the  Natural 
signs,  which  instinctively  denote  their  respective  states  of  mintl. 

But  other  means  for  denoting  tliot  and  pasion  being  still  re- 
quiredj  Artificial  signs  were  devised.  These  artificial  signs  are 
words,  convcntionaly  formed  to  describe  tliese  same  states  of  mind. 

To  ilustrate  the  purpose  and  use  of  botli  tliesc  chisscs  of  signs, 
and  to  show  their  relation  to  each  other,  I  will  here  briefly  again 
present,  under  its  two  divisions,  our  former  view  of  the  states 
of  mind,  on  which  we  founded  the  distinction  of  their  several 
signs. 

The  human  mind  is  the  place  of  representation  of  all  the  ex- 


VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THoT  AND   PASION.  453 

istences,  actions,  and  relationships  of  nature,  within  the  limit  of 
the  senses.  These  representatives  we  call  perceptions.  Percep- 
tions are  either  the  pasive  pictures  of  things ;  or  they  exist  with 
an  activity,  capable  of  so  afecting  the  physical  organs,  as  to  impel 
us  to  seek  the  object  that  produces  them,  or  to  avoid  it.  This  active 
or  vivid  class  of  perceptions  comprehends  the  pasions.  The  states 
of  mind  here  described,  exist  then  in  diferent  forms  and  degrees, 
from  the  simple  unexcited  thot,  to  the  highest  energy  of  pasion ; 
and  the  comon  but  indefinite  termsj  'idea,  sentiment,  emotion, 
feeling,  and  pasion'  are  the  vague  verbal-signs  of  these  degrees 
and  forms.  Nor  ,does  there  apear  to  be,  where  they  interjoin,  any 
line  of  clasifi cation,  for  distinctly  separating  the  mental  conditions 
of  thot  and  of  pasion;  as  simple  thots  without  changing  their 
meaning,  do  from  interest  or  other  excitement  often  asume  the 
degree  and  brightnes  of  a  pasion. 

This  being  one  of  the  many  views  to  be  taken  of  the  states  of 
mind,  we  pass  to  the  consideration  of  the  efects  produced  on  the 
visible  and  vocal  parts  of  the  human  frame,  by  those  thdts  and 
pasions.  These  efects  have  been  caled  their  signs,  or  physical  ex- 
presion.  They  are  of  many  forms  and  places ;  and  are  severaly 
marked  by  sound,  feature,  change  of  color,  and  variation  of  mus- 
cular action :  but  we  are  at  present  concerned  only  with  vocal 
sound. 

The  voice,  as  just  stated,  has  then  two  distinct  clases  of  signs : 
the  Natural  or  vocal,  so  to  distinguish  it ;  and  the  Artificial  or 
Verbal. 

The  Natural  or  Vocal  consist  severaly  of  time,  force,  abruptnes, 
vocality  and  pitch.  They  have  a  two-fold  agency ;  for  in  their 
various  ways,  and  by  their  unasisted  means,  they  are  sometimes 
significant  of  the  states  of  mind ;  but  they  may  be,  and  generaly 
are  joined  with  the  artificial  or  articulated  signs.  In  the  former 
state  they  are  the  voice  of  infancy,  before  the  period  of  complete 
articulation ;  are  comon  to  man  and  the  sub-animals ;  and  are  used 
thro  life,  both  alone,  and  combined  with  the  Artificial  or  Verbal, 
to  denote  the  animal  pasions  of  surprise,  love,  anger,  fear,  desire, 
search  or  inquiry,  sorow,  afection,  joy,  pain,  comand,  and  other 
states  of  mind  that  may  be  resolved  into  these. 

The  Artificial  signs  or  words  are  acquired  after  infancy.    These 


454  VOCAL,  SIGNS   OF  THOT   AND   PASION. 

may  denote  any  and  every  state  of  mind,  •when  joined  with  the 
Xatural,  or  may  describe  those  states,  %cithout  them.  Tliey  are 
produced  by  the  use  of  the  articulative  mechanism  both  on  vocality 
and  aspiration ;  and  as  descriptive  signs,  are  more  numerous  than 
the  natural. 

These  are  the  two  classes  of  oral  signs,  severaly  and  jointly 
representing  the  diferent  states  of  mind,  in  thot  and  pasion.  Some 
of  these  states  are  vocal  or  instinctive,  and  have  the  natural  signs. 
Others  are  the  result  of  human  inteligence,  and  the  social  relations, 
and  have  no  such  signs,  as  those  ordained  by  Nature  in  her  own 
original  mental  and  vocal  creations.  The  mind  has  natural  or 
vocal  signs  for  pain,  surprise,  and  anger ;  but  none  of  any  definite 
character  for  hope,  contentment,  and  gratitude. 

Here  then  are  two  essentialy  diferent  means  for  representing  the 
various  states  of  mind  ;  some  of  these  '  thots,  emotions,  passions,' 
call  them  by  what  indefinite  term  we  will,  being  denoted  by  cer- 
tain forms  of  stres,  time,  vocality,  and  pitchj  Nature's  instinctive 
signs,  in  the  voice ;  joined  to  a  verbal  or  conventional  language ; 
others  can  be  described  only  by  a  verbal  or  conventional  lan- 
guage, which  may  not  cary  the  natural  or  vocal-signs.  We  signify 
comand  by  the  downward  fifth,  or  octave ;  complaint  by  the  semi- 
tone; and  the  meaning  of  these  intervals. is  the  same  in  all  nations, 
under  any  conventional  sign.  But  it  is  not  in  our  power,  to  expres 
the  states  of  gratitude,  and  iresolution,  except  we  describe  these 
states  of  mind,  by  apointed  and  arbitrary  words,  that  may  vary  in 
every  diferent  language. 

Let  us  then,  by  terms,  clearly  distinguish  these  two  classes  of 
signs.  When  we  denote  thot  and  pasion  by  means  of  Vocality, 
Time,  Force,  or  Intonation,  either  with  or  -without  conventional 
words,  we  Avill  call  it,  the  Instinctive  or  Natural  or  Vocal  sign. 
When  we  describe  or  indicate  thot  and  pasion  by  a  sentence,  a 
phrase,  or  a  word,  without  the  use  of  vocal  signs,  co-expresive 
with  the  wordsj  we  will  call  it,  the  Conventional  or  ArtifiiMul  or 
Verbal  sign. 

Altlio  it  apears  we  have  not  an  instinctive  or  vocal  sign  for 
every  state  of  mind  ;  yet  every  state  of  mind  may  be  exprostnl  by 
a  conventional  sign  ;  for  one  can  verbaly,  and  in  the  plain  diatonic 
melody,  inform  anotherj  he  is  astonished,  and  convey  a  knowletlge 


VOOAL  SIGXS   OF   THOT  AND   PASIOX.  455 

of  his  being  under  that  state ;  as  certainly  as  he  can  by  the  most 
striking  use  of  the  downward  octave,  which  is  its  natural  sign. 
When  astonishment  is  to  be  represented  on  a  word  or  phrase, 
wliich  does  not  describe  it,  it  is  uecesary  to  employ  its  instinctive 
or  natural  sign.  AVe  have  seen  in  the  seventeenth  section,  that 
a  question  may  be  asked  by  a  gramatical  construction  alone,  with- 
out the  aid  of  intonation.  And  further,  an  iuterogatory  can  be 
distinctly  conveyed,  merely  by  the  verbal  statement,  that  a  ques- 
tion is  asked  :  and  this  is  often  done  in  writen  discourse,  without 
afixing  the  'note'  of  interogation. 

In  consequence  of  there  being  Instinctive  signs  in  the  larangeal 
voice  alone,  to  denote  pasion,  and  Artificial  signs  in  language,  to 
describe  itj  one  instinctive  sign  can  with  the  asistance  of  the  arti- 
ficial, represent  two  or  more  pasions  or  their  degrees ;  for,  of  tw^o 
phrases  with  the  same  vocal,  but  with  a  diferent  verbal  signj  the 
vocal  sign  bemg  the  same,  camiot  in  itself  severaly  signify  difer- 
ent states  of  mind ;  a  specification,  by  the  verbal  terms,  describes 
the  diference,  under  the  identical  vocal  form.  Supose,  for  in- 
stance, one  should  use  the  imperative  phrase,  be  gone,  with  a  forci- 
ble downward  vanish  of  the  octave ;  and  again,  with  the  same 
intonation,  should  say,  icell  done;  the  diference  between  the  two 
states  of  mind,  in  comand,  and  in  exclamatory  aprobation,  would 
be  distinctly  represented  respectively  by  the  imperative  verb,  and 
by  the  interjective  phrase,  notwithstanding  their  identical  intona- 
tion. Thus  too,  the  same  semitone  is  used  for  the  expresion  of 
pain,  discontent,  pity,  grief,  and  contritionj  and  yet  in  all  these  dif- 
erent cases,  the  states  of  mind  are  marked  by  the  conventional  lan- 
guage on  which  the  semitone  is  employed.  We  are  now  prepared 
to  take  a  general  view  of  the  subject  before  us;  which,  to  borow 
a  technicality  from  another  art,  may  be  called  the  Semiotica  of 
Elocution ;  a  term  which  as  yet  incomprehensible,  in  its  Into- 
native  meaning  at  least j  is,  by  embracing  the  full  and  just  adap- 
tation of  the  voice  to  the  mind,  destined  hereafter  to  be  receved 
as  comprising  the  whole  esthetic  and  practical  philosophy  of 
speech. 

To  repeat  the  important  distinction j  the  Semiotic  ways  and 
means  of  Elocution,  or  the  several  signs  of  Thot  and  Pasion,  arej 
First.  Instinctive  or  Natural ;  consisting  of  the  forms,  degrees, 


456  VOCAL  SIGXS   OF   THoT   AND   PASIOX. 

and  varieties  of  the  five  modes  of  the  voice.  And  Second.  Arti- 
ficial or  Verbal ;  having  the  descriptive  power  of  conventional 
language. 

In  the  uses  of  discoursej  and  we  here  return  to  our  three-fold 
divisionj  natural  signs,  under  one  condition  of  the  modes  of  the 
voice  form  the  thotive  narative  or  diatonic  Drift.'  Under  another 
of  moderate  expresionj  the  reverentive  or  admirative.  And  under 
the  use  of  all  the  expresive  powers  of  vocality,  time,  force,  abrupt- 
nes  and  intonation,  the  vivid  character  of  the  pasionative. 

The  Artificial  have,  in  themselves,  neither  the  character  nor  the 
voice  of  the  natural ;  but  can  by  words,  universaly  describe  their 
efects,  and  may  represent  thot  and  pasion,  equaly  with  the  natural 
signs.  A  union  of  the  natural  and  the  artificial  gives  the  most 
exact  and  irapresive  vocal  representation  of  the  thotive,  the  inter- 
thotive,  and  the  pasionative  jiurjjoses  of  the  mind.* 

*  The  Verbal  and  the  Vocal  means  for  denoting  the  states  of  mind,  are  each 
so  esential  to  the  purposes  of  speech,  that  it  is  dificult  to  determine  which  is 
most  significant  of  thot  and  pasion.  The  power  of  giving  a  diferent  pasion- 
ative meaning  to  the  same  word,  by  a  varied  vocality,  stres,  time,  or  intona- 
tion, would  imply  the  vocal  or  instinctive  signs,  to  be  more  efective  than  the 
verbal  or  conventional.  But  other  facts  lead  us  to  conclude^  we  are  some- 
times as  much  indebted  to  the  descriptive  agency  of  words,  as  to  any  expresive 
eficacy  of  the  voice. 

It  will  hereafter  be  shown  in  the  analj'sis  of  Song,  that  every  function  which 
we  have  ascribed  to  speech,  is  employed  in  its  Elaborate  style  of  execution; 
and  tho  it  is  truej  the  semitone  has  a  plaintive  character,  even  if  sung  with- 
out words  ;  still  the  rising  and  faling  concretes  of  the  third,  fifth,  and  octave, 
when  7iot  set  to  words  which  describe  the  expVesion  of  these  intervals  in  speech, 
are  constantly  heard  in  what  are  caled  songs  of  Agility,  without  denoting  in- 
terogation,  positivenes,  or  surprise.  In  like  maner,  the  various  forms  of  strea 
which  are  properly  expresive  in  sylabic  uterancc,  seem  to  be  almost  without 
meaning  in  the  inarticulate  movements  of  song. 

A  still  more  striking  view  of  the  power  of  conventional  language,  as  tho 
means  of  exjjresion,  when  contrasted  with  the  power  of  instinctive  intonation, 
is  displayetl  in  the  voice  of  sub-animals,  particularly  that  of  birds. 

Wlicii  a  familiarity  with  our  history  will  have  given  the  means  of  discrim- 
ination, it  will  be  jterceved  that  birds  emjiloy  all  the  vocal  signs  of  speech, 
without  expresing  surprise,  interogation,  positivenes,  and  scorn,  together 
with  the  rcj)ose  of  the  cadence;  which  would  be  plainly  conveyed  by  those 
signs,  joined  with  words  that  describe  these  several  mental  states.  The  ex- 
presion  of  j)laintivenes  by  the  semitone,  in  the  voice  of  the  dove,  and  of 
pleasure  by  the  tremor  on  other  intervals,  in  the  horse  when  snufing  his  food, 
are  indeed  made  without  a  verbal  sign,  and  yet  are  identical  with  tho  display 


VOCAL   SIGNS    OF   THoT   AND    PASION.  457 

We  have  learned  that  the  means  of  expresion  are  always  aplied 
in  combination.     There  must  be  at  least  two  conjoined,  and  tliere 

of  similar  states  by  the  human  voice.  Still  it  must  be  recolectcd  that  laugh- 
ter and  crying,  the  analogies  to  these  sub-animal  expresions,  are  in  speech, 
generaly  inarticulate,  and  are  to  be  considered  as  merely  instinctive  animal 
signs,  in  man. 

It  is  then  the  union  of  an  arbitrary  Verbal  designation  of  a  state  of  mind 
with  its  natural  or  Vocal  sign,  that  constitutes  the  true  and  esential  means  of 
expresion  in  speech. 

I  must  here  beg  the  Keader  to  excuse  a  digresion  from  our  subject.  In  the 
course  of  this  esay  many  analogies  might  have  been  shown  between  the  human 
voice,  and  that  of  the  sub-animal  :  but'I  designed  to  avoid  mingling  these  two 
comparative  subjects  of  natural  historj-. 

Speech  is  a  select  agregate  of  the  vocal  and  articulative  functions,  dis- 
persedly  exercised,  b}-  all  animals:  for  there  is  scarcely  a  form  of  vocality, 
time,  intonation,  force,  abruptnes,  and  even  of  articulation,  which  is  not 
comon  in  severaltj-,  to  many  of  the  sub-species,  and  to  man.  Man  employs 
more  of  these  signs  than  any  one  species,  but  perhaps  fewer  than  all;  the 
principal  diference  consisting  in  his  power  over  the  structure  and  chain  of 
the  literal  and  sylablic  function. 

Upon  the  ground  of  this  identity,  and  with  the  asistance  of  an  eiact  meas- 
urement, and  definite  nomenclature  of  the  human  voice,  aforded  by  this  esayj 
What  is  there  to  prevent  the  voices  of  aniynals  being  taken  as  one  of  the  designa- 
tions of  species,  m  the  sgstonatic  arayigeynent  of  Zoology  ? 

Naturalists  have  sometimes  atempted  this  in  a  rude  waj-,  by  a  reference  to 
alphabetic  sounds,  and  to  the  modes  of  time  and  stres  in  words  and  phrases. 
When  boys  without  the  least  atention  to  the  diference  of  vocality  in  the  cases, 
find  a  resemblance  in  the  shrill  suraer-whistle  of  the  American  partridge,  to 
the  words  '  bo-bob-white ;  '  and  think  they  pronounce  the  short  repeated 
phrase  of  the  '  whip-poor-will  ; '  in  its  name,  which  some  of  the  native  In- 
dians with  closer  imitation,  call  muc-ha-iois ;  the  similarity  lies  between  the 
impresion  of  the  acentual  stres  and  the  time  of  uterance  in  the  two  cases ;  for 
the  whistle  and  the  phrase,  as  well  as  many  mechanical  noises,  resemble,  at 
the  whim  of  the  listener,  an}'  words  with  an  equal  number  of  sylable-like 
impulses,  and  the  same  condition  of  quantity  and  acent. 

Birds  in  the  endowment  of  voice,  have  First;  A  single  Chirp,  including 
severaly,  every  variation  of  vocality,  time,  and  force,  with  every  form  of  in- 
tonation, from  the  feeblest  efort  in  the  simple  interval,  to  movements  of  wider 
concretes  and  waves,  in  the  cry,  the  shriek  and  scream ;  and  in  some  cases, 
even  the  note  of  song.  Second  ;  A  phrase,  of  two,  three,  or  four  constituents, 
severaly  of  every  vocality,  time,  force,  and  every  form  of  intonation.  Third  ; 
A  Medley,  composed  of  a  heterogeneous  sucesion  of  chirps,  and  phrases. 
Fourth;  A  Melody,  such  as  it  is,  of  rapid  concretes,  of  the  singer's  '  j)ure 
tonej  '  in  '  liquid,'  smooth,  and  briliant  vocalityj  of  varied  force,  and  intona- 
tion ;  but  without  bar,  cadence,  or  key.  This  melody  is  distinguished  by  its 
continuous  course  of  greater  or  less  duration,  without  the  disjointed  interup- 
30 


458  VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   TH5T  AND   PASION. 

may  be  more.  Gutiiral  grating,  aspiration,  and  the  (liferent  fornLS 
of  stress  are  necesarily  aplied  to  some  interval  of  pitch.     The 

tions  that  ocur  in  the  medley.  Some  birdsj  I  omit  their  s^-stematic  namesj 
have  only  the  chirp  ;  as  our  sparow,  king-bird,  swalow,  the  woodpecker  tribe, 
the  blue-jay,  and  various  hawks.  Others,  as  our  yelow-bird,  robin,  red-bird, 
partridge,  blue-bird  and  whiperwil,  have  the  chirp  and  phrase.  Others 
again,  the  chirp  and  melody,  as  our  thrush,  cat-bird,  wren,  and  perhaps  the 
oriole,  meadow-lark,  and  black-bird.  The  mocking-bird,  and  the  canary, 
have  the  chirp,  and  the  medley,  as  a  remarkable  case :  and  a  few  others 
properly  caled  singing  birdsj  but  of  which  I  cannot  speak  from  observation^ 
may  have  the  chirp,  the  phrase  and  the  melody,  under  the  most  agreeable 
character. 

The  exact  and  broad  observerj  for  the  peering  Naturalists  do  not  yet  seem 
to  know,  what  comparative  phonology  means,  nor  that  the  subject  of  the 
voice  is  part  of  natural  history^  will  kindly  excuse  the  erors  of  this  descrip- 
tion. It  is  ofered  only  as  a  faint  and  broken  light,  obscurely  showing  one  of 
the  outer  doors  of  this  interesting  department  of  knowledge  :  and  now  held- 
up,  with  the  asistance  of  our  present  analysis,  from  memory  of  rural  and 
pastime  observation  made  at  school  on  the  borders  of  the  Susquehana  before 
my  thirteenth  year.  And  would  I  could  forget  how  often, in  thotles  pleasure, 
I  may  have  given  disquietude  or  pang  to  those  inocent  lives,  that  aforded  the 
means  of  my  present  contented  ocupation ;  and  that  still  bring  up  so  many 
juvenile  memorials  of  time  and  place,  in  recording  the  forms  of  their  intona- 
tion. 

After  what  is  here  said,  on  the  general  character  of  the  voices  of  Birds,  and 
with  tlie  light  of  clasification  and  description  contained  in  this  esay,  a  culti- 
vated ear  would  not  have  much  diticulty  in  ascertaining,  whether  the  chirp  of 
a  bird  is  in  the  concrete  or  the  radical  pitch  of  a  semitone,  second,  or  other 
interval ;  of  how  many  constituents  the  jihrase  consists;  what,  in  the  medley, 
are  the  places  of  pitch  ;  with  the  kind  and  order  of  its  phrases;  and  what, 
the  concrete  and  discrete  in  the  melody.  As  far  as  observation  extends,  we 
know:j  the  voice  of  birds  is  unchangeable  in  the  species ;  it  is  therefore  as  well 
entitled  to  nomenclature,  provided  it  can  be  asigncd  definitel}',  as  the  fethers, 
beak,  and  claws.  If  language  had  never  furnished  discriminative  names  for 
color  and  form,  even  these  characteristics,  like  those  of  the  voice,  would  never 
have  been  known  in  the  descriptions  of  ornitliology :  or  rather,  ornithology 
as  a  chisitication,  would  be  unknown. 

Witliout  extending  our  obworvation  to  the  whole  range  of  animals,  within 
which  we  might  severaly  find  all  the  varieties  of  the  human  voice,  even  to 
the  protracted  note  of  song,  in  the  frogj  I  hero  give  an  outline  of  the  vocal 
functions  of  the  Mocking-birdj  ilustrative  of  the  powers  which  generaly 
belong  to  its  class. 

The  Mocking-bird  has  every  variety  and  degree  in  Vocality,  from  the  deli- 
cate chirp  of  the  sparow,  and  harsh  scream  of  the  jay,  to  the  gutural  baas  of 
the  clucking  of  the  hen.  He  uses  every  variation  of  Time,  from  a  mere 
point  of  sound,  to  the  quantity  of  our  most  pasionute  interjections,     lie  htts 


VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THOT   AND   PASION.  459 

interval  of  pitch  must  be  united  with  time,  -whether  the  quantity 
is  long  or  short.     The  natural  sign  may  be  heard  joined  to  the 

coniand  over  all  the  intervals  of  the  scale,  both  ascending  and  descending,  in 
the  discrete  as  well  as  the  concrete  pitch.  His  simple  concrete  exhibits  the 
proper  structure  of  the  radical  and  vanish.  He  executes  the  wave  in  its  equal 
and  unequal,  its  direct  and  inverted  forms;  yet  I  cannot  say,  he  uses  its 
double  movement.  He  exhibits  all  the  forms  of  Stres  on  the  concrete :  the 
compound  constitutes  his  shake.  It  is  the  diatonic  shake,  and  consists,  on  its 
diferent  occasions,  of  from  five  or  six  lo  ten  or  twelve  iterations.  It  is  not 
so  rapid  as  the  human  shake,  and  consequently  wants  its  liquidity;  nor  does 
it  ever  end  in  a  '  turn,^  but  passes  carelesly  to  any  efort  that  folows.  This 
shake  is  sometimes  made  on  a  wider  interval  than  the  second:  but  it  is  a 
slugish  movement,  and  consists  of  only  two  or  three  repetitions,  as  we  some- 
times hear  it  in  singers,  of  great  execution.  And  it  is  worthy  of  remark, 
that  in  this  slownes,  the  compound  stres  is  plainly  distinguishable.  He  uses 
the  tremor,  both  on  a  continuous  line,  and  with  its  rising  and  falling  tittelar 
skips.  All  this  comprehensive  exercise  of  the  throat,  has  individually  the 
form  of  either  chirp  or  phrase.  The  continued  rounds  of  voice,  which  at 
night,  sometimes  last  for  hours,  form  therefore  a  medley  of  chirps  and 
phrases,  without  sucesive  simihiritj-  in  the  relation  of  time,  vocality,  force 
or  pitch  ;  and  altogether  without  rj^thmus,  cadencial  close,  or  key.  In  this 
medley  the  phrases  cxcede  the  chirps  in  number  ;  but  I  cannot  say,  how  many 
of  each  are  used.  Perhaps  twenty  kinds  would  include  them  all :  and  supos- 
ing  these  to  be  diferenced  by  time  and  vocality,  there  would  be  more.  Each 
set  of  the  chirps  and  phrases,  as  it  returns  thru  the  medley,  may  vary  in  the 
number  of  its  repetitions.  A  chirp  may  be  single,  or  may  be  repeated  two  or 
three  times,  or  oftener.  A  phrase  of  two  constituents  may  in  the  returns  of 
the  medley  have  three,  four,  or  more  repetitions  of  these  two  ;  or  as  sometimes 
bapens  in  the  shake,  ten  or  twelve:  and  it  is  the  same  with  a  phrase  of  the 
tremor.  The  phrase  of  three  or  four  constituents,  which  last  is  rarely  heard, 
has  fewer  repetitions  than  the  more  simple  ones ;  the  chirp  is  most  frequently 
heard  only  once.  The  whole  medley  then,  has  no  regularity  in  the  return  of 
its  several  voices,  nor  in  the  number  of  their  repetitions,  to  constitute  it  a 
Melody. 

It  was  first  said  by  Somebodyj  perhaps  himself  a  parot  in  human  characterj 
while  this  bird  mocks  all  others,  he  has  no  '  notes  '  of  his  own  :  and  then 
Everybody,  mocking  somebody's  say,  Nobodj-  thot  of  doubting  it.  Yet  upon 
this  very  notion  of  exclusive  property  in  the  voice,  he  has  more  '  Notes  '  of 
his  own  than  any  other  bird  :  and  having  within  his  compas,  almost  the  whole 
constituency  of  song,  whether  human,  or  Volucrali  for  Ornithology  wants 
this  adjective^  it  would  not  be  surprising,  if  other  birds  should  recognize  some 
of  their  suposed  property,  in  his.  When  frequenting  farms,  with  pigeons, 
hens,  turkeys,  and  guinea-fowls,  all  around  him;  and  when  in  the  fields  of 
Virginia,  all  day  pierced  by  the  whistle  of  the  i)artridge;j  with  his  own  '  notes  ' 
almost  stifled  at  night,  by  the  panting  voices  of  a  whole  settlement  of  whip- 
erwils,  he  has  never,  within  my  knowledge,  been  heard  to  mock  their  phrases ; 


460  VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THoT   AND   PASIOX. 

words  of  the  artificial;  and  of  the  natural,  there  must  be  two 
combined,  and  there  may  be  more.  Not  one  form  of  expresion 
can  exist  separately ;  and  we  may  have  under  a  single  sylabic  im- 

tho  master  perhaps  of  all  the  simple  sounds  that  severally  compose  them. 
And  certainly  no  Indian  Farrinelli  ever  gave  him  an  example  of  the  shake. 
Miniik  then,  as  with  his  own  natural  voice,  they  would  make  him,  it  would 
have  been  a  kindly  restraint  on  those  who  have  slandered  him,  to  have  had  a 
natural  ear  of  their  own  to  prevent  it. 

We  have  learned^  the  vocal  constituents  of  the  song  of  the  Mocking-bird, 
like  the  vocal  signs  in  speech,  are  few  in  number  ;  but  in  each  case,  our  igno- 
rance of  the  individual  signs,  leaving  us  to  regard  only  their  numerous  com- 
binations, has  created  a  belief  that  they  are  infinite.  A  certain  vocality,  or 
an  interval  may  be  heard  under  a  variation  in  time;  and  the  same  concrete, 
or  tremor,  or  shake  may  difer  in  vocalitj',  and  in  its  places  of  pitch. 

The  rule  for  the  signs  of  pasion,  in  speech,  is  strictly  aplicable  to  the  voices 
of  sub-animals,  as  regards  those  sounds  which  are  purely  vocal  and  separate 
from  words.  The  repeated  chirp,  which  seems  to  be  the  idle  and  unmeaning 
diatonic  voice  of  birds,  is  generaly  a  short  quantity,  on  a  single  rising  or 
faling  concrete  second,  or  third,  and  rarely,  as  far  as  I  have  observed,  on  the 
wider  intervals.  A  prolongation  of  the  chirp  is  usualy  expresive  of  their 
pasions  and  apetites.  Pain,  love,  and  fear,  are  always  exhibited  in  the 
movement  of  the  semitone.  But  I  am  agreeably  led  on  towards  an  arange- 
ment,  when  I  designed  only  to  propose  the  scheme  to  others.  The  limited 
and  perhaps  imperfect  maner  in  which,  from  a  neglect  of  full  observation,  I 
have  described  this  single  instance  of  volucral  intonation,  may  however  show, 
that  as  there  is  now  a  system  and  nomenclature  for  the  voices  both  of  the 
garulous,  and  mischievous  Demagogue  of  American  Asemblies,  and  of  this 
harmlcs  Polyglot  of  the  American  grove,  there  would  be  no  great  dificulty  in 
clasifying  with  precision,  more  manageable  individualities  of  sound,  in  the 
other  departments  of  vocal  Zoologj'. 

This  subject  is  at  least  curious,  if  not  useful ;  yet  it  lies  out  of  my  way. 
The  sciences  have  large  volumes  of  compilation :  let  us  have  from  some 
Naturalist  with  a  good  ear,  a  little  book  of  original  truth,  on  the  inquiry 
here  proposed.  Let  it  be  done  by  pure  and  personal  observation.  Let  the 
author  not  lose  his  strong  breath  of  usefulness  and  fame,  by  a  puerile  precipi- 
tancy after  reputation  ;  nor  hasten  with  his  unripencs,  in  tlie  market-like  fear 
of  being  forestalcd.  Patient,  enthusiastic,  and  unostentatious  studj-j  independ- 
ent observation  and  thotj  and  a  disinterested  love  of  truthj  with  their  sure 
and  great  results  in  science,  are  always  solitary  in  an  age,  and  cannot  there- 
fore bo  forestaled  ;  and  on  this  point,  as  in  promises  under  another  name,  it 
will  be  with  those  who  seek  the  unaltered,  and  unalterable  truths  of  nature, 
that  the  last  in  its  proper  season,  shall  be  First. 

I  add  at  the  time  of  this  si.vth  Edition,  that  forty  years  ago,  the  jirecoding 
Note  was  ofered  to  the  atcntion  of  the  Naturalist ;  who  witii  a  prying  and 
industrious  ambition  to  Inive  a  new  Bug,  or  an  Old  Fossil-bone  named  after 


VOCAL  SIGNS   OF  THOT  AND   PASIOX.  461 

pulse,  a  long  quantity,  a  wide  interval,  aspiration,  and  strcs,  all 
sinuiltaneous  in  efecting  a  particular  purpose  in  speech. 

The  folowing  is  a  sumary  of  the  instinctive  or  vocal  signs,  de- 
noting'the  states  of  mind,  we  have  caled  thotive,  reverentive,  and 
pasionative. 

In  the  thirty-fourth  section,  it  was  proposed  to  employ  the 
terms  Piano,  and  Forte,  for  the  degrees  of  force,  respectively  above 
and  below  the  distinct  and  becoming  audibility  of  that  well-bred 
conversation,  which  equaly  avoids  an  overbearing  loudness  on  one 
side,  and  a  fashionable  mincing,  or  a  faint-mouthed  and  perplexing 
afectation,  on  the  other.     And  first ; 

Tlie  Piano  of  the  Voice.  Some  states  of  mind,  together  with 
certain  conditions  of  the  body  that  may  be  combined  with  them, 
are  properly  expresed  by  a  piano,  or  moderated  voice,  in  curent 
discourse.  These  states,  and  conditions  are  those  of  humility, 
modesty,  shame,  doubt,  iresolution,  apathy,  caution,  repose,  fa- 
tigue, and  prostration  from  disease.  They  generaly  employ  the 
simple  diatonic  melody :  some  however,  with  a  piano  or  a  feeble 
uterance,  use  the  semitone,  and  the  wave  of  the  second.  Of  this 
kind  are  pity,  grief,  and  awe. 

The  Forte  of  the  Voice.  This  sign,  as  the  reverse  of  the  last, 
is  apropriate  to  states  of  mind  directing  muscular  energy,  and 
vivid  degrees  of  pasion.  Some  of  these  states  are  signified  by  a 
high  degree  of  force ;  for  in  adition  to  those  which  employ  it  as 
a  leading  characteristic,  such  as  rage,  wrath,  fear,  and  horor,  some 
that  depend  for  their  exjDresion,  chiefly  on  intonation  or  acentual 
stres,  do  at  the  same  time  asume  the  character  of  forte  or  loudnes. 
Of  this  class  are  astonishment,  exultation,  and  laughter. 

Quicknes  of  Voice.  Inasmuch  as  quickness  of  the  curent  melody 
generaly  goes  with  Short  Quantity,  in  individual  sylables,  we  do 
not  make  separate  heads  for  these  two  subjects.  Some  states  of 
mind,  under  this  division,  are  likewise  expresed  by  other  signs, 
particularly  by  Loudnes;  as  anger,  rage,  mirth,  railery  and  im- 
patience. Many  states  having  their  principal  signs  in  forms  of 
intonation  and  stres,  are  joined  also  with  quicknes  of  voice. 

himself,  so  narows  the  scope  of  his  duty,  as  to  render  him  indiferent  to  the 
fact,  that  the  sub-animal  voice  is  embraced  by  Natural  History,  and  is  an 

interesting^,  if  not  a  distinguishing  part  of  Zoological  clasification. 


462  VOCAL   SIGNS  OF  TH5T   AND   PASION. 

Slownes  of  Voice,  Speakers  who  have  no  comand  over  quan- 
tity, afect  to  be  deliberate,  by  momentary  rest  between  their  words. 
But  slow  time  in  discourse,  if  not  made  by  extended  sylabic  quan- 
tity, would  from  its  frequent  pauses,  be  monotonous  and  formal. 
Slow  time  and  long  quantity  are  an  esential  cause  of  dignified 
uterance,  and  are  efected  on  the  wave ;  this  being  the  continuous 
return  of  an  interval  into  itselfj  one  of  the  means  for  producing 
an  extension  of  time,  without  destroying  the  equable  concrete  of 
speech.  Slownes  of  time,  with  its  constituent  long  quantity,  is 
properly  employed  for  many  states  of  mind;  as  sorow,  grief, 
respect,  veneration,  dignity,  apathy,  contrition,  and  all  others 
embracing  refinement,  and  moderation. 

Vocallty.  It  is  unnecesary  to  repeat  here  all  the  terms  denoting 
the  forms  of  this  jNlode.  The  folowing  are  some  of  them,  with 
their  respective  states  of  mind  anexed.  Harshnes  is  directed  by 
anger,  and  imperative  authority :  gentlenes  by  grief,  modesty  and 
commiseration :  the  whisper,  which  is  an  aspirated  voice,  by  se- 
crecy. The  falsete  is  heard  in  the  whine  of  peevishnes,  in  the 
high  tremulous  pitch  of  mirth,  and  in  the  piercing  scream  of 
teror.  The  full  body  of  the  orotund,  in  a  cultivated  speaker, 
gives  satisfactory  expresion  to  solemnity  and  grandeur. 

The  Rising  and  the  Faling  Semitone.  The  simple  rise  of  the 
semitone  is  not  a  frequent  form  of  expresion,  as  most  plaintive 
intonations  call  for  long  quantity,  and  are  therefore  properly  repre- 
sented by  the  wave  of  this  interval.  Still  complaint,  grief,  and 
other  states  of  like  imj^ort,  may  sometimes  be  made  with  an 
earnestnes,  requiring  a  short  sylabic  time.  In  this  case  the  voice 
cannot  bear  the  delay  of  the  wave,  and  efects  all  the  purposes  of 
semitonic  intonation,  by  the  simple  rise  or  fall  of  the  concrete, 
with  the  adition  when  necesary,  of  the  radical  or  vanishing  stres. 

The  Rising  and  the  Faling  Second  or  lone.  Those  states  of 
mind,  called  thots,  in  contradistinction  to  pasionsj  those  naratives 
or  deserii)tions,  which  denote  things  as  they  are  in  themselves, 
without  reference  to  our  relation  to  tliem,  on  the  point  of  j)lea.sure 
or  pain,  desire  or  aversion,  interest  or  injury,  are  all  represented 
by  the  plain  unobtrusive  interval  of  the  second,  cither  in  its 
ui)ward  or  downward  course.  Tlie  vtu-ious  uses  of  the  voice, 
properly  called  Expresion,  have  something  so  striking  in  their 


VOCAL   SIGNS    OF   TIIOT   AND    PASION.  463 

character,  that  the  atentive  observer  may  easily  recognize  them. 
Wlien  there  is  an  absence  of  this  expresion,  he  may  conclude^  the 
curent  of  speech  is  in  the  diatonic  melody. 

The  Rising  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave.  These  intervals  scveraly 
express  diferent  degrees  of  the  same  state  of  mind :  the  distinc- 
tions between  the  states  themselves  are  designated  by  the  verbal 
signs  that  describe  them.  In  their  varying  extent,  tliey  represent 
interogation,  as  moderate,  dignified,  or  earnest.  Combined  with 
other  vocal  means  they  add  to  the  question,  particularly  on  the 
octave,  the  character  of  quaintnes,  sneer,  and  derision.  With  as- 
piration they  have  the  efect  of  the  downward  intervals,  and  indi- 
cate serious  surprise  and  its  congenial  states.  They  expres  a  con- 
ditional meaning,  on  emphatic  words.  Gutural  vibration  adds 
scorn  to  a  question  on  the  wider  of  these  intervals ;  and  joins  to 
their  character  in  emphasise  haughtines,  disdain,  reproach,  indig- 
nation, and  contempt.  As  the  deliberate  execution  of  these  inter- 
vals requires  long  quantity,  they  have  not  the  extended  time,  and 
consequently,  not  the  solemn  and  dignified  character,  they  assume 
when  doubled  into  the  wave. 

The  Downward  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave.  These  severally  ex- 
press, both  diiferent  degrees  of  the  same  state  of  mind,  and  states 
different  among  themselves.  They  are  emphatically  the  signs  of 
surprise,  astonishment,  wonder,  and  amazement ;  and  altho  these 
states  are  not  identical,  still,  each  in  its  peculiarity,  is  represented 
upon  these  falling  intervals :  the  specific  diiference  being  marked, 
either  by  their  varied  extent,  or  by  the  conventional  phrase  to 
which  they  are  applied.  These  intervals  also  denote  a  positive- 
ness,  and  a  settled  conviction  on  the  part  of  the  speaker ;  hence 
they  are  given  to  phrases  of  authority,  command,  confidence,  and 
satisfaction.  A  downward  movement,  we  have  learned,  also  pro- 
duces tlie  terminative  repose  of  a  cadence ;  and  consequently  when 
not  joined  with  force,  Ls  well  suited  to  express  the  state  of  quie- 
tudej  in  resignation,  despair,  and  the  condition  of  mind  which 
attends  fatigue.  And  yet  any  diiference,  under  all  these  cases,  of  a 
similar  intonation,  is  distinguished  by  their  respective  conventional 
language. 

The  Wave  of  the  Semitone.  The  expression  of  the  simple  rise 
and  the  fall  of  the  semitone  was  noticed  above ;  but  its  return  or 


464  VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THoT  AND   PASION. 

contrary  flexure  into  the  wave,  is  the  most  common  form  of  this 
expressive  interval.  There  is  scarcely  a  vocal  sign  which  repre- 
sents so  many  and  such  various  states  of  mind ;  the  specific  dis- 
tinction of  the  cases,  being  made  by  the  descriptive  phrase.  The 
wave  of  the  semitone  diifers  from  the  simple  interval,  in  its  ex- 
presive  dignity  derived  from  its  extended  quantity,  from  a  repe- 
tition of  the  simple  interval  in  its  returning  descent.  Sorrow, 
grief,  vexation,  chagrin,  repining,  contrition,  impatience,  peevish- 
ness, compassion,  commiseration,  condolence,  pity,  love,  fondness, 
supplication,  fatigue,  and  pain,  with  whatever  varieties  may  exist 
among  them,  are  still,  by  the  difference  of  the  conventional  sign, 
all  expressed  by  the  wave  of  the  semitone. 

The  Wave  of  the  Second.  The  interval  of  the  second,  either 
in  a  rising  or  falling  direction,  being  the  voice  of  plain  unim- 
pasioned  thot,  is  purely  a  diatonic  sign,  and  not  a  means  of  ex- 
■presion.  Still  as  the  downward  return  of  this  interval  into  the 
form  of  the  wave,  produces  a  long  quantity,  it  necesarily  adds  to 
the  second,  the  peculiar  effect  of  that  quantity^  and  when  duly 
extended,  gives  to  discourse  its  full  character  of  dignity,  and 
grandeur;  to  the  exclusion  of  the  intrusive,  and  therefore  in- 
apropriate  use  of  force,  qualit}",  abruptnes,  and  the  wider  intervals 
of  intonation. 

The  Waves  of  the  Third,  Fifth  and  Octave.  The  forms  of  tlie 
wave  are  so  various,  that  it  would  far  excede  the  design  of  this 
Work  to  enumerate  thenij  and  to  asort  them  with  the  pasions. 
The  principles  that  govern  their  expresion  were  unfolded,  in  the 
twenty-fifth,  and  six  folowing  sections.  The  chai'acter  of  the 
constituent  intervals  of  these  waves  has  great  influence  in  deter- 
mining their  respective  expresions.  The  upward  vanish  of  the 
last  constituent  of  i\\Q  inverted  form  has  the  efect  of  interrogation  ; 
and  the  downward  course  of  the  last  constituent  of  the  direct,  that 
of  surprise.  If  then  these  two  contrary  forms  of  the  wave  have, 
respectively,  in  their  final  constituent,  the  same  character  as  the 
separate  and  simple  rise  and  fall  of  the  interval,  there  might  seem 
to  be  no  necesity  for  their  use.  Yet  suposing  the  purposes  to  be 
identical,  which  however,  may  not  always  be  the  casej  the  wave 
afords  besides,  important  means  for  extending  the  quantity  of 
sylablcs,  and  consequently  for  expresing  certain  states  of  mind, 


I 


VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THoT   AND    PASION.  465 

■with  deliberate  dignity.  In  the  double  form,  the  wave  denotes 
sneer,  mockery,  petulance,  contempt,  and  scorn ;  still  these  last  two 
are  more  conspicuously  exhibited  by  conjoining  aspiration  with  the 
single  wave. 

The  Radical  Stres.  From  the  forcible  character  of  this  stres, 
it  is  employed  for  increasing  the  impressivenes  of  the  other  vocal 
signs  of  the  pasions,  ca])able  of  receving  it.  It  is  more  particu- 
larly aplicable  to  imutable  sylables,  yet  when  we  read  rapidly,  it 
is  used  even  on  those  of  indefinite  quantity :  but  rapid  reading 
necesarily  weakens  its  force.  Mirth,  impatience,  anger,  and  rage, 
are  generaly  utered  with  haste,  and  therefore  take  on  this  stres,  in 
emphatic  places.  It  is  employed  on  imperative  words ;  for  it  has 
a  degree  of  positivenes,  similar  to  that  expresed  by  the  downward 
intervals  of  intonation. 

The  Median  Stres.  The  radical  stres  is  used  for  abruj)tly  en- 
forcing expresion  on  short  sylables.  The  median  gradualy  and 
smoothly  swells  the  voicej  and  this  requires  a  long  quantity,  to- 
gether with  a  deliberate  and  graceful  uterance.  I  say,  together 
with  deliberation ;  as  long  quantities  do  sometimes  asume  the  ab- 
rupt opening  of  the  radical,  or  the  final  jerk,  of  the  vanishing 
stres.  The  states  of  mind,  caling  for  median  forcej  particularly 
on  the  dignity  of  the  second,  and  the  plaintivenes  of  the  semitonej 
are  those  represented  by  waves  of  the  various  intervals.  Of  these 
kinds  are  awe,  respect,  solemnity,  reverence,  and  suplication,  that 
make  our  division  of  inter-thotive  expresion.  This  median  stres 
may  perhaps,  be  executed  on  an  extended  rise  or  fall  of  the  simple 
fifth  and  octave;  or  the  wide  downward  vanish  of  surprise,  and 
wide  upward  vanish  of  interrogation,  may  sometimes  be  invested 
with  this  graceful  form  of  force. 

The  Vanishing  Stres.  This  stres,  and  its  expresion  have  been 
so  particularly  noticed,  in  a  former  section,  that  it  is  unnecesary 
here  to  repeat  the  detail.  Far  inferior  as  it  is  in  dignity,  to  the 
median,  it  is  sometimes  highly  expresive  of  the  state  represented 
by  the  semitone  and  wider  intervals^  in  grief,  surprise,  and  intero- 
gation.  Impresing  the  extremes  of  these  intervals  on  the  ear,  it 
points  out  their  several  ranges  more  distinctly  than  they  are 
marked  by  the  atenuated  vanish.  It  may  seem  to  be  a  nice  dis- 
tinction, but  it  is  ncvertheles  true  and  practical,  that  care  must  be 


466  VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THOT   AXD   PASIOX. 

taken,  not  to  let  tliis  stres  run  into  the  thoro  form;  for  this,  as 
before  remarked,  rather  obscures  the  interogative  expresion. 

Compound  Stres.  So  much  was  said,  on  this  subject,  in  the 
thirty-eighth  section,  tliat  the  Reader  is  refered  to  it.  Tlie  com- 
pound, like  the  median,  vanishing,  and  thoro  stres,  and  the  loud 
concrete,  cannot  be  made  on  short  sylables.  On  prolonged  quan- 
tity, it  is  the  sign  of  energy  or  violence,  in  the  pasion  represented 
by  it. 

The  Thorough  Stres.  We  refer  to  the  thirty-ninth  section,  for  an 
acount  of  this  sign  of  rudenes,  and  vulgarity,  when  aplied  to  long 
sylabic  quantity,  in  curent  discourse.  By  the  'hardnes  of  its 
touch, '  it  destroys  the  graceful  outline  of  the  equable  concrete ; 
and  heavily  overlays  that  delicacy  of  gradation  in  the  tinted 
vanish,  so  esential  to  the  refined  picture  of  thot  and  pasion,  in  the 
wonderful  design  and  coloring  of  true  and  natural  speech. 

On  the  subject  of  the  Loud  Concrete,  as  a  sign  of  expresion,  I 
have  nothing  to  add  worthy  of  record,  beyond  what  has  been 
previously  said. 

The  Tremor  of  the  Second  and  of  Wider  Intervals.  The  tremu- 
lous movement  of  these  intervals  designates  a  number  of  states  of 
mind  widely  diferent  from  each  other.  And  here  again  we  have 
an  instance  of  a  principle  widely  influential  in  the  expresion  of 
the  passions ;  for  these  diiferent  states,  though  set  within  the  same 
general-frame  of  intonation,  have  their  specific  divisions  marked 
by  the  conventional  terms  which  describe  them.  The  tremor  of 
the  second  and  of  wider  intervals,  is  employed  for  exultation, 
mirth,  pride,  haughtines,  sneer,  derision,  and  contem])t;  and  in 
these  expresions,  the  tittles  may  move  on  the  simple  rise  or  fall,  or 
on  the  wave. 

The  Tremor  of  the  Semitone.  The  tremulous  movement  of  the 
semitone,  on  a  tonic  element,  is  a  form  of  the  crying-voice.  Used 
in  sylabic  intonation,  it  implies  a  deeper  distres  than  that  of  the 
simple  semitone ;  and  exprescs  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  con- 
dition of  sufering,  grief,  tendernes,  and  suplication;  yet  widely  as 
they  may  difer  from  each  othei:,  they  alike  fall,  when  caried  to 
exces,  into  the  tremulous  intonation;  their  difference  being  marked 
by  the  tionventional  })hrasc. 

The  Aspiration.     The  pure  vocality  of  the  tonics  and  subtonics, 


VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THOT   AND   PASIOX.  467 

when  partly  obscured  by  its  union  M-itli  aspiration,  denotes  many 
and  widely  diferent  states  of  mind ;  yet  M'ith  the  aid  of  the  con- 
ventional signs,  it  can  clearly  expres  them  all.  It  acompanics 
the  force  of  vociferation ;  is  the  faint  sign  of  secrecy ;  and  is  joined 
with  energetic  uterance,  when  this  is  not  strained  into  the  falsete. 
It  also  indicates  earnestnes,  curiosity,  surprise,  and  horor.  On  a 
former  ocasion,  contempt,  sneer,  and  scorn,  were  asigned  to  the 
wave,  i>articularly  in  its  unequal  form.  Yet  even  this  does  not 
carrv  the  full  measure  of  their  expresion,  if  not  conjoined  with 
aspiration :  and  further,  the  union  of  aspiration  even  with  simple 
upward  and  downward  \\^der  intervals,  may  represent  these  several 
states  of  mind. 

The  Gutural  Vibration.  This  is  a  harsh  and  grating  vocal  sign; 
and  denotes  all  those  states  of  mind  classed  under  ill-humor ;  in- 
cluding dissatisfaction,  peevishness,  and  discontent.  It  likewise 
ajDpears  in  the  strained  ferocity  of  rage,  and  revenge,  and  is  the 
common  sign  to  children  and  others  of  an  emphatic  rebuke ;  and 
has  an  import  of  sneer,  contempt,  and  scorn  ;  all  of  which,  under 
the  same  natural  or  vocal  sign,  are  distinguished  by  the  conven- 
tional word  or  phrase. 

Of  the  Emphatic  Vocule.  This  is  exclusively  an  indication  of 
force,  and  in  the  final  abrupt  elements  of  particular  words  is  the 
sign  of  anger  and  rage,  and  of  vehemence  in  any  pasion.  It  is 
however  of  rare  ocurence ;  and  being  almost  needles  in  cultivated 
elocution,  ought  perhaps  to  be  even  more  rare  than  it  is. 

The  Broken- Melody,  The  Curent  melody  of  Narrative  style  has 
been  represented  as  a  succession  of  diatonic  intonations ;  yet  em- 
jjloying  occasionally,  for  dignified  expression,  a  longer  time,  a  fuler 
quantity,  and  a  wider  appropriate  interval,  both  of  concrete  and 
of  discrete  pitch ;  and  intersected  by  pauses,  aplied  as  often  as  the 
thot,  or  expresion  may  require.  Sometimes,  particular  states  of 
mind  overrule  the  ocasions,  and  gramatical  proprieties  of  pausing, 
thereby  producing  notable  rests  after  very  short  phrases,  and  even 
after  every  word,  without  reference  to  the  conections  of  syntax.  I 
use  the  term  Broken-Melody,  to  signify  the  interuptions,  sometimes 
produced  by  the  exces  of  certain  pasions. 

The  character  of  this  function  will  be  perceved  in  the  physio- 
logical explanation  of  it. 


468  VOCAL   SIGXS   OF   THOT   AND   PASIOX, 

In  the  section  on  the  mechanism  of  the  voice,  two  kinds  of  ex- 
piration were  described;  one  resembling  the  act  of  sighing,  whereby 
all  the  breath  Ls  sent  forth,  in  a  single  impulse  of  greater  or  less 
duration ;  within  which,  scarcely  more  than  one  or  two  words  can 
be  articulated  with  ease.  The  other  is  used  in  comon  speech. 
Within  it,  we  are  able  to  uter  whole  sentences,  by  a  frugal  use  of 
the  breath,  in  giving  out  small  portions  at  a  time,  to  sucesive 
sylables.  From  the  former  maner  of  expiration,  seeming  to  draw- 
oif  all  the  contents  of  the  lungs,  it  may  be  called  the  Exhausting- 
breath  :  and  the  latter,  from  its  being  held-back,  to  be  dealt  out  in 
such  portions  as  sylables  require,  may  be  caled,  for  want  of  a  beter 
name,  the  Holding-breath. 

It  was  said  formerlyj  an  infant  begins  to  speak  in  the  exhaust- 
ing-expiration. It  occurs  likewise  when  we  are  '  out  of  breath, ' 
from  exercise ;  and  in  the  extreme  debility  of  disease.  Hence  in 
these  cases,  there  is  often  only  one  sylable  heard  in  a  single  act  of 
expiration.  The  breath  of  the  tremulous  movement  of  laughter 
and  crying,  is  of  this  kind.  The  tremor  docs  here  create  a  slight 
diferenice;  but  if  the  Reader  will  for  a  moment  make  the  experi- 
ment, he  will  percevej  he  quickly  laughs  and  cries  himself,  so  to 
speak,  to  the  bottom  of  his  breathj  which  is  one  cause  of  the 
distres,  and  even  pain  felt  in  excesive  laughter;  nor  can  he,  without 
an  inhaling  pause,  continue  the  tremulous  function,  for  that  ex- 
tended time,  of  expiration,  which  is  so  easily  efectcd  on  the  breath 
of  comon  speech.  Young  children,  in  violent  crying,  sometimes 
so  exhaust  the  lungs,  that  a  considerable  pause  ocurs  between  the 
ebb  and  flow  of  respiration,  much  to  the  alarm  of  inexperienced 
mothers. 

This  exhausting-breath  may  be  produced  by  a  high  degree  of 
pasionative  excitement.  Deep  distress  involuntarily  creates  it,  in 
the  form  of  a  sigh.  Hence,  in  the  exces  of  mental  sufering,  or 
bodily  pain,  the  holding-power  is  lost,  and  we  speak  in  the  ox- 
hausting-breathj  with  but  one,  or  at  most,  two  or  three  words 
within  a  single  act  of  expiration :  and  by  these  repeated  intersec- 
tions of  the  inhaling  pauses,  the  Broken-melody  is  produced.  The 
case  will  be  the  same,  should  an  exces  of  excitement  blend  the 
tremor  of  laughter  or  of  crying,  with  the  curent  of  discourse;  for 
by  the  exhausting-power  of  these  functions,  the  melody  nuist  be 


I 


VOCAL   SIGNS   OF   THoT   AND   PASION.  469 

interupted,  by  the  frequent  necesity  for  inspiration.  It  may  be 
asked,  wliy  the  breatli  cannot  be  rapidly  recovered,  as  in  the  mo- 
mentary rests  of  speech  that  are  sometimes  scarcely  perceptible. 
The  cause  is  thisj  In  the  holding-expiration  of  comon  discourse, 
all  the  breath  is  not  discharged  from  the  lungs ;  such  a  quantity 
only  is  gradualy  spent  upon  the  words,  as  may  be  imperceptibly 
and  instantly  restored.  But  in  speaking  with  the  exhausting-ex- 
piration, there  is  a  discharge  of  nearly  all  the  breath  by  an  extreme 
contraction  of  the  chest ;  and  the  subsequent  act  of  re-filing  the 
lungs  requires  a  degree  of  expansion  and  a  depth  of  draft,  that 
cannot  be  imperceptibly  performed,  and  that  ocupy  the  time  of  the 
remarkable  pauses  in  the  Broken-melody. 

It  is  not  necesar}'  to  sj^eak  of  the  phrases  of  intonation,  employed 
in  this  peculiar  melody.  They  may  be  of  every  species ;  tho,  from 
the  many  interuptions  of  the  curent,  the  relationships  of  the 
phrases  are  not  so  perceptible  nor  so  important  in  practical  efect, 
as  in  the  more  conected  sequences  of  a  comon  melody. 


I  have  here  endeavored  to  open  the  way  for  a  full  and  more 
precise  description  of  the  vocal  signs  of  th5t  and  pasion,  and  for  a 
systematic  arangement  of  them,  with  the  states  of  mind  they 
severaly  expres.  They  have  been  regarded  as  individuals,  altho 
not  one  is  ever  heard  alone ;  in  some  instances  many  are  united  in 
a  single  act  of  expression,  and  they  may  be  employed  in  every 
maner  of  compatible  combination.  A  feeble  and  a  forcible  sound 
cannot  exist  in  the  same  impulse  of  uterance ;  yet  either  of  these 
conditions  may  be  conjoined  severaly  with  all  the  forms  of  pitch, 
or  vocality,  or  time.  No  one  interval  of  pitch  can,  during  the 
same  sylabic  impulse,  be  another  interval;  but  any  interval  may 
as  ocasions  require,  be  simultaneous  in  execution  with  any  form  of 
vocality,  time,  or  force.  So  in  the  wave,  the  intervals  may  be 
consecutive  in  all  posible  ways ;  and  these  ways,  either  in  interval, 
or  arangement,  may  be  conjoined  with  every  exercise  of  the  voice, 
not  at  variance  with  their  definition. 

By  the  use  then  of  the  comparatively  limited  number  of  Vocal 
signs  here  enumerated,  together  with  the  asistant  means  of  Con- 


470  VOCAL   SIGNS    OF   THOT   AXD    PASIOX. 

ventional  language,  the  aparently  infinite  forms  of  expresion  in 
speech  are  produced.  Tlie  preceding  detail  of  these  signs,  and  the 
numerical  limitation  of  the  terms  of  their  nomenclature,  at  once 
aford  an  observer  the  means  to  survey,  in  the  composure  of  a 
clasifying  reflection,  the  whole  extent  of  this  suposed  infinity ;  and 
thereby,  to  change  a  vulgar  and  distracting  wonder  at  imensity, 
into  an  inteligent  admiration  of  the  obvious  union  and  intermuta- 
ble  variety  of  a  few  distinguishable  constituents. 

The  Reader  may  now  perceve  why  I  have  considered  the  forms 
of  expression,  in  their  separate  state ;  or  have  regarded  only  a  few 
of  their  combinations.  To  give  an  extended  detail  of  their  posible 
groups,  would  be  beyond  my  design  in  seting-forth  the  broad 
Philosophy  of  speech.  Nor  is  it  necesary  under  a  practical  view ; 
for  having  analytically  resolved  the  aparent  complexity  of  speech 
into  its  asiguable  constituents,  we  cannot  be  at  a  loss  to  synthetic- 
ally combine  them,  when  necesary,  for  every  purpose  of  expresion. 

From  a  review  of  our  history  of  the  Instinctive  signs  of  thot 
and  pasion,  and  a  reference  to  the  limited  amount  of  their  modes 
and  forms,  compared  with  the  unlimited  variety  of  mental  condi- 
tions to  be  expresed,  we  are  struck  with  the  disproportion  between 
their  respective  numbers :  and  learn,  how  the  deficiencies  in  the 
instinctive  signs  are  suplied.     For  in  the 

First  place.  The  same  vocal  sign  is  used  for  more  than  one  state 
of  mind :  as  in  the  numerous  class,  respectively  denoted  by  the 
semitone,  and  by  the  downward  intervals. 

Second.  Some  of  those  states,  genericaly  represented  by  the 
same  natural  sign,  have  yet  their  specific  diference  marked  by  the 
artificial  sit^n,  or  conventional  language  that  describes  them.  The 
downward  octave  expreses  equaly,  comand,  and  astonishment ; 
their  diference,  under  the  same  intonation,  being  signified  by  the 
imperative  word,  and  by  the  phrase  that  declares  the  astonishment. 

Third.  A  great  number  of  the  mental  states  have  no  instinctive 
or  vocal  sign,  but  de})end,  for  their  expresion,  altogether  on  de- 
scriptive language.  There  is  no  vocal  sign  by  which  a  speaker 
can  inform  us,  even  if  he  would,  of  his  avarice,  his  vanity,  or  his 
remorse.  They  must  be  shown  in  personal  action,  or  be  confosed 
by  his  verbal  declaration.  The  posible  combinations  of  all  the 
modes,  forms,  degrees,  and  varieties  of  the  voice,  may  furnish  a 


VOCAL  SIGNS   OF   THoT  AND   PASION.  471 

sign  for  every  thot  and  pasion.  This  estimate  and  clasifieation 
having  never  yet  been  made,  the  subject  must  lay-over,  for  an  age 
of  the  Physical  Philosophy  of  the  mind,  as  well  as  of  the  voice. 

Having  in  the  preceding  sections  particularly  described  the 
constituents  of  speech,  Avhich  in  their  various  and  respective  uses, 
denote  the  mental  states  of  thot  and  pasionj  I  must  ofer  a  few 
remarks  on  the  subject  of  that  dificulty  which  a  long  habit  of 
ignorance  and  eror,  in  the  old  school  of  Elocution,  may  create  in 
acquiring  a  practical  comand  over  the  true  and  Natural  System  of 
the  voice.  When  the  meaning  of  our  terms  for  tlie  states  of  mind, 
and  for  their  coresponding  vocal  signs  is  known,  there  will  be  no 
great  hesitation  in  recognizing  their  exemplified  distinctions,  nor 
in  acquiring  a  facility  in  executing  them ;  and  it  Avill  then  be 
foundj  the  use  of  all  the  aparently  novel  modes  and  forms  of  the 
voice,  in  the  maner  proposed  by  our  Scientific  System,  which  has 
raised  the  alarm  of  dificulty,  is  only  a  returnj  after  ages  on  ages 
of  conventional  theory  and  delusionj  to  the  instinctive  and  truth- 
ful purpose  and  practice  of  what  must  have  been  the  natural 
Archetype  of  Speech.  For  the  developments  of  this  volume  have 
brought  me  to  the  conviction,  that  the  system  of  plain  diatonic 
melody,  as  a  ground  for  the  exjiresive  intervals,  is  the  true  ordina- 
tion of  the  speaking  voice :  and  a  reference  to  the  universal  wisdom 
of  Nature,  even  under  the  vicious  habits  of  man,  shows,  that  as  in 
the  benevolence  of  her  final  causes,  she  is  prone  to  good  and  not 
to  evilj  so,  to  give  a  particular  instance,  the  voice  is  prone,  'as  the 
sparks  fly  upwards,'  to  this  ordination  for  denoting  the  two  leading 
conditions  of  the  mind.  Under  this  view,  it  would  apear,  that 
when  the  design  of  Nature  has  not  been  perverted  or  overruled, 
we  should  ocasionaly  find  examples  of  greater  or  less  acordance 
with  her  adjusted  system :  and  I  must  say,  in  suport  of  this  infer- 
ence, that  altho  I  have  never  found  a  Speaker,  conforming  in  all 
points  to  our  proposed  rulesj  yet  I  have  met  with  some  instances, 
in  which  a  natural  tendency  has  so  far  prevailed,  that  its  purposes 
have  in  a  great  measure  been  acomplished ;  and  others,  in  which 
it  has  not  been  so  much  confounded  or  thwarted  by  coruj^t  exam- 
ple, as  to  prevent  our  scientific  method,  from  developing  the  latent 
resources  for  proper  and  elegant  speech.  I  here  refer  to  science, 
as  universaly,  a  true  picture  of  the  things  and  laws  of  Nature ; 


472  VOCAL  SIGXS   OF   THOT   AND   PASIOX. 

and,  in  our  present  case,  as  the  means  of  preventing  the  influence 
of  bad  education  and  example,  on  the  instinctive  tendencies  of  the 
voice. 

He  Avho  has  a  kno^yledge  of  the  constituents  of  speech,  and  of 
their  powers  and  uses,  is  the  potential  master  of  the  science  of 
Elocution ;  and  he  must  then  derive  from  his  ear,  his  perception 
of  propriety,  and  his  taste,  the  means  of  actually  applying  it  with 
success.  When  this  is  accomplished,  it  Avill  be  foundj  the  per- 
formance of  Scientific  speech,  is  no  more  difficult  to  the  Actor, 
than  the  performance  of  music  is  to  thousands  of  little  girls  when- 
ever they  are  taught  it:  and  that  with  a  proper  notation  of  the 
vocal  signs  of  the  former,  one  will  be  as  easily  read  and  executed 
at  sight  as  the  other. 

I  have  read  somewhere,  that  the  Ancients  practiced  what  they 
called  Silent  Reading.  It  is  possible,  they  meant,  going  over  in 
mental  perception,  the  forms  of  intonation,  and  of  the  other  modes 
of  the  voice ;  for  we  knowj  this  unuttered  reading  is  practicable, 
and  may  be  employed,  both  on  our  own  peculiar  manner,  when  we 
think  of  it,  and  on  that  of  others,  when  we  have  the  memorial 
power  of  silently  imitating  them.  This  is  the  process  of  the' 
Mimic ;  for  his  memory  of  any  peculiarity  in  the  vocal  sign  of 
those  he  imitates,  must  silently  jsrecede  his  audible  iitterance  of  it. 
The  faculty  of  Silent  Reading  can  however  be  efectively  exercised, 
for  pleasure  and  ijnprovement,  only  under  a  clear  mental  picturing 
of  a  scientific  system  of  the  voice,  and  of  its  precise  nomenclature. 
By  our  present  analytic  knowledge  of  the  states  of  mind,  and  of 
the  vocal  signs  of  thot  and  pasion  ;  and  a  conventional  notation  of 
those  signs,  we  may  with  a  perception  of  our  own  maner  of  speak- 
ing, and  a  memory  of  the  speech  of  others,  be  able  to  silently 
practice  the  proprieties  of  elocution,  and  to  corect  its  eroi-s,  by  the 
silent  use  of  an  instructed  intelcct.  We  know  that  the  perceptions 
of  the  several  senses  are  represented  in  the  memory ;  that  the 
images  on  the  eye  and  vibrations  on  the  ear,  are  clearer  and  more 
readily  revived,  than  on  the  others ;  and  that  we  may  memorialy 
think  of  any  j)eculiarity  in  the  voice.  In  intonation,  the  difercnt 
intervals;  in  force,  the  diferent  streses;  in  time,  tiie  difercnt 
quantities;  and  the  various  vocalities  and  pausesj  when  once  per- 
ceved  and  named,  have  their  respective  characters  so  impresed  on 


I 


THE    MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTIOX    IX    ELOCUTION.  473 

the  inemoiy,  tliat  we  can  think-them,  in  its  silent  reading.  This 
proces  of  memorial  perception  \vitli  audible,  is  like  its  proces  with 
visible  signs.  The  Painter  has  on  his  memory  the  ocular  image  of 
a  real,  or  of  an  invented  subject ;  and  lays  on  his  tablet  the  visible 
copy  of  his  memorial  lines  and  colors.  The  musical  Composer 
has  in  his  memory,  impresions  of  all  the  constituents  of  song ;  and 
silently  aranging  them  by  his  mind's  ear,  notes  doAvn  his  melody 
and  harmony,  for  others  either  silently  or  audibly  to  read.  There 
is  no  diference  then,  between  the  method  in  a  silent  reading  of 
music,  and  that  of  a  silent  reading  of  speech.  Indeed,  from  the 
less  complex  structure  of  its  melody,  the  reading  of  speech  should 
be  the  easier  of  the  two. 

I  have  near  me  at  this  moment,  notations  from  scenes  in  Hamlet, 
and  in  Lear  ;  sent  to  me  by  one,  who  acquired  a  full  knowledge  of 
the  Scientific  system,  and  its  jiractical  aplication,  from  an  unasisted 
study  of  this  Volume;  as  the  volume  itself  was  writen  from  the 
study  of  Nature  alone.  Whether  these  notations,  and  my  opinion 
of  them,  are  corect  or  otherwise,  I  can  both  silently  and  audibly 
read  them ;  and  thereby  have  the  means  of  ilustrating  to  others, 
the  truth  and  the  practical  aplication  of  the  subject  before  us. 


SECTION  XLIX. 

Of  the  Means  of  Instruction  in  Elocution. 

I  HAVE  offered  to  the  Reader,  a  copy  of  the  all-perfect  Design 
of  Nature,  in  the  construction  of  Speech.  It  is  nccesary,  if  we 
may  still  carry  on  the  figure,  to  furnish  at  the  same  time,  a  '  Work- 
ing plan,'  to  him  who  may  wish  to  build  up  for  himself,  a  delight- 
ful Home  of  Philosophy  and  taste,  or  a  popular  Temple  of  Fame, 
in  Elocution. 

If  the  Reader  is  one  of  those,  who  from  disapointment  in  higher 
hopes,  have  at  last  resolved  to  receve  their  Station  in  life,  under 
31 


474  THE   MEAXS   OF   INSTEUCTION   IX   ELOCUTIOX. 

the  aprobation  of  ignorance ;  and  who  in  their  acomplishments  are 
careles  of  rising  above  the  discernment  of  their  unthinking  Ad- 
mirers, let  him  pass  by  this  section.  A  little  will  serve  his  pur- 
poses ;  and  the  instinct  of  his  ambition,  without  the  wise  designs 
of  human  asiduity,  will  enable  him  to  be  easily  the  file-leader  of 
his  herd.  But  if  he  beleves  in  that  fine  induction  of  the  Greeks, 
that  '  good  things  are  dificultj '  if  he  sees  the  sucessful  pretender, 
still  restles  and  dissatisfied,  in  having  made  captives  only  of  the 
Ignorantj  if  he  desires  to  work  for  high  and  hard  masters,  and  to 
take  his  ultimate  repose  by  the  side  of  their  ever-during  aproba- 
tion, he  may  receve  from  the  folowing  pages,  some  asistance  towards 
the  acomplishment  of  his  resolution  to  acquire  the  art  of  Reading- 
Well. 

Can  Elocution  be  taught?  This  question  has  heretofore  been 
asked  by  ignorance.  It  shall  in  another  age,  or  I  mistake  the 
prevailing  power  of  science,  be  asked  only  by  folly. 

The  skeptics  on  the  subject  of  the  practicabilit}'  of  teaching 
elocution,  appear  under  three  classes.  To  the  First  belong  those, 
who  knowing  the  ways  of  the  voice  have  never  been  broadly  and 
distinctly  traced,  beleve  they  never  can  be  reduced  to  asignable 
rules.  This  opinion  is  grounded  on  the  belief  that  the  expresive 
efects  of  speech  procede  from  some  ^  ocult  quality,'  or  metaphysi- 
cal working  of  the  '  spirit ; '  which  however,  is  neither  high  nor 
low,  loud  nor  soft ;  nor  any  of  the  physical  and  apreciable  modes 
of  vocal  sound.  They  who  carelesly  overlook  the  due  revelation, 
which  Nature  never  withholds  from  the  close  and  fervent  observer, 
seem  to  have  that  notion  of  vocal  expresion,  which  poetical  school- 
girls liave  of  the  smiles,  and  '  side-long  glances'  of  their  interesting 
young  admirersj  that  they  are  not  a  palpable  efect  of  the  pliysical 
form  of  the  face,  in  its  state  of  rest,  and  in  its  various  motions ; 
but  a  kind  of  imatenalism,  which  darts  from  the  eye  and  breathes 
from  the  lips ;  a  '  soul,'  as  it  were  in  the  countenance,  whicji  is 
yet,  in  the  words  of  the  song,  *  neither  shape  nor  feature.' 

The  skepticism  of  the  Second  class  asumes  that  acomplishments 
in  elocution  are  the  result  of  cei'tain  indescribable  powci*s  of 
'genius,'  and  that  the  hapy  poscsor  of  tlicm  is  the  prodnction  of  one 
of  '  Nature's  moments  of  enthusiasm,'  Such  sleight  of  tongue,  to 
hide  the  plain  agency  of  natural  causes,  is  not  disdained  by  many 


THE   MEANS   OF    INSTRUCTIOX    IN    ELOCUTION.  475 

who  poses  powers,  suficient  to  set  them  far  above  the  stale-grown 
tricks  for  reputation.  He  wlio  has  the  truth  and  modesty  of  a 
master  in  his  art,  knows  that  he  Ls  distinguished  from  the  thou- 
sands who  suround  him,  not  more  by  a  superiority  over  their 
vulgar  notions  on  the  subject  of  ambition,  and  the  chances  of 
success,  than  by  a  singlenes  in  purpose  and  zeal,  and  the  acumu- 
lative  power  of  a  self-gathering  docility :  nor  does  he  withhold 
instruction,  in  the  fear  of  rivalshij) ;  for  with  justified  confidence 
in  a  wel-tried  knowledge,  he  persuades  himself,  that  if  any  useful 
purpose  should  make  it  necesary,  he  can  afterwards,  always  keep 
pace  with  a  competitor,  and  then  surpas  himself. 

Thoge  who  constitute  the  Third  class  are  too  inteligent  to  beleve 
in  this  mystical  doctrine  of  the  'Inspiration  of  genius;'  yet  they 
hold,  that  the  art  of  reading-well  can  be  taught  only  by  imitation. 
Elocution  may  unfortunately  too  often  have  satisfied  its  faith  with 
the  creed  of  Imitation ;  and  thereupon,  set-up  its  diferent  Idols, 
for  public  worship.  But  when  has  the  world,  on  a  single  subject 
of  inquiry,  ever  found,  in  that  faith  or  fiction  which  sees  evidence' 
in  what  is  not  to  be  seen  alike  by  all,  any  other  result  than  that 
of  sophistical  labor,  without  product,  and  illiberal  quarels,  with- 
out end.  Hence  the  vain  conceit  of  forming  a  school  of  Imitative 
Elocution :  for  the  several  partizans  of  diferent  favorites  will 
never  agree  to  raise  any  one  individual,  to  exemplary  superiority. 
An  example  to  be  useful  and  permanent  in  art,  must  be  set-up 
with  the  consent  of  all :  and  that  consent  can  be  drawn  only  from 
a  comon  and  acessible  source  of  instruction  and  knowledge,  not 
from  individual  or  party  admiration.  It  was  therefore,  under 
ignorance  of  there  being  a  comon  source  of  knowledge  in  the  few 
and  clasified  constituents  of  speech,  that  such  a  Avavering  notion 
as  Imitation  became  the  deceptive  guide  of  Elocution,  in  absence 
of  that  yet  wnleading  Cynosure  to  every  eye  alikej  the  stedfast 
unity  of  Principles  in  the  Art.  It  is  the  design  of  this  csay,  to 
furnish  from  Nature,  and  not  from  variable  examples  of  human 
authority,  those  describable  truths,  on  which  all  may  begin  their 
agreement ;  and  by  extending  this  consent,  may  at  last  raise  an 
observative  and  universal  school  of  Elocution. 

I  must  here  notice  the  objection,  often  made  to  teaching  Elocu- 
tion by  systematic  rules j  that  it  will  necesarily  produce  a  formal. 


476  THE    MEANS   OF    IXSTRUCTIOX    IX    ELOCUTIOX. 

and  afected,  or  as  it  is  caled  without  foundation,  a  theatric  style  of 
speech.  This  charge  is  made  either  by  those  M^ho  do  not,  in  all 
cases,  know  the  meaning  and  power  of  instructive  principles,  which 
are  only  the  exponents  of  a  clasified  knowledge  in  the  arts;  or  by 
those  who  have  had  tlie  experience  of  some  very  loose  and  narow 
rules  for  their  own  narow  and  unsucesful  schemes.* 

■^  An  especial  form,  and  the  fulest  force  of  this  objection  has  lately  been 
embodied  into  a  so-caled  system  of  Elocution,  carelesly  woven  out  of  comon 
learning,  and  fair-faced  'reasonings,'  first  published  under  the  Article, 
Rhetoric,  in  the  Encyclopedia  Metropolitana  ;  and  subsequentlj''  under  the 
name  of  a  profound,  as  all  obscure  writers  are  thot  to  be,  and  acomplished 
Archbishop  ;  thus  ading  an  authority  of  high  oficial  and  personal  character, 
to  the  outspread  influence,  and  confirmatory  suport  of  a  sworn  brotherhood 
of  British  Contributors,  of  the  foremost  rej)Uted  inteligence,  learning,  taste, 
and  Scientific  Hank,  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

In  one  of  our  prefaces,  we  recorded  the  magisterial  decision  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  that  any  analysis  of  the  ex- 
presion  of  the  human  voice  is  imposible.  And  I  have  now  to  quote  from  a 
high  dignitary  of  the  Church,  the  equaly  dogmatic  declaration,  that  the  em- 
ployment of  a  sucesful  analysis,  far  from  leading  to  a  proper,  energetic,  and 
elegant  use  of  the  voice,  would  entirely  pervert  and  corupt  it.  In  the  Fourth 
Part  of  his  Rhetoric,  the  first  chapter,  and  fourth  section,  he  says  :  '  But  there 
is  one  principle  running  thru  all  tlieir  precepts,'  [tlie  precepts  oj  those  who 
would  teach  elocution  by  precept,)  '  which  being,  acording  to  my  views,  radicaly 
eroneous,  must,  if  those  views  be  corect,  vitiate  every  system  founded  upon 
it.  The  principle  I  mean  is,  that  in  order  to  acquire  the  best  style  of  De- 
livery, it  is  requisite  to  study  analyticaly  the  emphases,  tones,  pauses,  degrees 
of  loudnes,  which  give  the  proper  efect  to  each  passage  that  is  well  delivered  ; 
to  frame  7-ules  founded  on  the  observation  of  these ;  and  then,  in  practice, 
deliberately  and  carefuly  to  conform  the  uterance  to  these  rules,  so  as  to  form 
a  comjjlete  artificial  system  of  Elocution.'  (  Whether  the  writer  had  ever  seen 
the  ^  Fhilosophi/ of  the  Hicvian  Voice, ^  does  not  apcar ;  and  the  case  is  the 
stronger  if  lie  had  noi^  for,  hud  he  attentively  read  it  thru,  the  objection  could 
not  have  been  more  directly  pointed  at  its  analysis  and  rules.) 

'  That  such  a  plan  not  only  directs  us  into  a  circuitous  and  dillicult  path, 
towards  an  object  which  may  be  reached  by  a  shorter  and  straightor,  but  also, 
in  most  instances,  completely  fails  of  that  very  object,  and  even  produces, 
oftencr  than  not,  efects  the  very  reverse  of  what  it  designed,  is  a  doctrine  for 
whicli  it  will  be  necesary  to  ofer  some  reasons,' 

Now,  the  good  Prelate's  'reasons'  are  employed,  on  the  one  hand,  against 
an  analytic  methodj  which,  from  not  coniprcliending,  as  it  seems,  the  jiur- 
posc  of  resolving  the  voice  into  its  constitutMits,  he  thinks  would  ]>roduce  an 
Artificial  manor  of  speech,  and  on  the  other,  in  favor  of  liis  notion  of  what 
he  calls  the  Natural  manner;  not  drawn,  as  it  should  be,  from  the  ordination 
of  God  and  Nature,  but  founded  on  tiie  folowing  »«fountled  remark,  by  Adam 


THE    MEANS    OF    IS'STEUCTION    IX    ELOCrTIOX,  477 

This  objection  is  grounded  on  some  nietliod,  suposcd  to  be  free 
from  this  analytic  formality,  and  'preceptive  afectation j  and  ealed,  the 
'  Xatuml  Manner.'  But  this  maner  having  no  describable  standard 
of  its  own  truth,  propriety  and  taste,  is  vaguely  refered  to  an 
'  ocult'  animal  instinct,  under  that  boastful  term  of  human  vanitv, 
Prerogative  '  Genius  : '  which,  by  its  untrained  and  wayward  igno- 
rance, would,  with  an  impudent  claim  to  an  inborn  privilege,  reject 
the  wise  and  prevailing  eforts  of  educated  art.  Yet  instinct  even 
when  nominaly  dignified  into  '  Genius,'  seems  to  be  nothing  more 
than  the  result  of  an  organization  prepared  by  nature  to  receve 
the  impresion  of  directive  causes,  Avhich  thereupon  act  necesarily, 
to  excite  the  organic  power,  limited  as  it  may  be,  and  to  exercise  it 
to  its  end.  As  this  organization  of  instinct  begins  to  loorh  itself 
into  mind,  the  knowledge  thereby  acquired^  for  we  perceve  mind, 
only  thru  knowledgcj  creates  by  slow  degrees,  another  state,  or 
another  more  complicated  and  efective  mental  organization,  so  to 
speak ;  on  which  the  objects  or  facts  of  an  art  act  more  broadly 
as  directive  causes,  to  excite  the  no  less  necesary  and  unering  pur- 
poses, and  practical  ends  of  science.  The  practical  ends  of  Elocu- 
tion, as  an  elegant  art,  are,  to  denote  our  thots,  and  pasions,  with 
truth,  propriety,  and  taste,  and  consequently  without  the  eror 
and  deformity  of  awkwardnes,  or  afectation.     When  therefore,  bv 

Smithj  towards  the  close  of  his  reflections  on  'the  Imitative  Arts,'  already 
refered-to  at  the  end  of  our  nineteenth  section.  '  Tlio  in  speaking,  a  person 
may  show  a  very  agreeable  tone  of  voice,  yet  if  he  seems  to  intend  to  show  it^ 
if  he  apears  to  listen  to  the  sound  of  his  own  voice,  and  as  it  were  to  tune  it 
into  a  pleasing  modulation,  he  never  fails  to  ofend,  as  guilty  of  a  mostdisafree- 
able  afectation.' 

To  show  the  general  bearing  of  this  '  reasoning,'  we  here  make  an  analogical 
aplication  of  Adam  Smith's  and  the  Prelate's  th5t  to  another  related  esthetic 
art.  Tho  a  Painter  might  please  us  in  executing  a  well  invented  subject  of 
a  picture^  yet  if  he  seems  to  intend  to  show  his  skill,  or  to  look  at  his  own 
composition,  and  as  it  were,  to  aprove  of  the  principles  of  his  art,  in  their 
acomplishment  of  his  design,  his  coloring,  and  shaded  light,  thereby  to  bring 
his  purpose  to  a  finished  efectj  he  never  fails  to  ofend,  as  guilty  of  a  most 
disagreeable  afectation. 

It  has  been  one  of  the  objects  of  our  Work  to  answer  '  reasoning '  by  fact : 
and  tho  we  here  notice  the  Prelate's  adopted,  and  unsifted  faith  and  notions, 
the  serious  argument  against  them,  whicii  we  do  not  require,  others  will  heri'- 
after  draw,  for  their  satisfaction,  from  the  demonstrative  answer  of  Observa- 
tion and  Time. 


478  THE   MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION   IN    ELOCUTION. 

analytic  knowledge  of  the  constituents  of  an  artj  principles,  or 
clasificatious  of  its  facts,  for  some  efective  purpose  are  framed, 
these  principles  become,  as  it  were,  the  scientific  instinct  of  the  new 
and  more  complicated  organization  of  the  mind,  in  its  state  of 
acquired  knowledge :  just  as  in  its  own  way,  the  original  and  more 
simple  organization  of  nature,  exercises  its  limited  and  merely 
animal  instinct.  And  as  this  instinct,  or  call  it  '  genius, '  of  the 
Old  Elocution  produces  what  the  objectors  to  the  use  of  Analytic 
Rules,  asume  to  be  the  propriety  and  grace  of  its  '  Natural  Manner; ' 
so  the  regeneration  of  the  mind,  as  we  describe  it,  to  a  new  life  of 
acumulated  knowledge,  has  necesarily  a  tendency,  in  its  scientific 
instinct,  towards  the  natural  maner  of  a  more  comprehensive, 
refined,  and  efective  Elocution.  It  is  then  the  limited  animal 
instinct  of  the  Old  School,  and  its  ignorance  of  the  wide  resources 
of  the  scientific  instinct  of  the  New  with  its  analytic,  more  exact, 
and  exalted  natural  manerj  that  does  realy  produce  in  itself  the 
formality,  and  the  theatric  afectation,  wliich  it  deprecates  and 
blindly  charges  on  a  beter  system.  For  it  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  the  important  vocal  Mode  of  Intonation,  outlawed  as  it  is 
from  all  inquiry,  has  with  its  power  of  expresion,  been  heretofore 
employed,  whether  by  those  who  adopt,  or  who  reject  the  rulesj  for 
there  is  little  diference  in  the  event  of  their  failuresj  only  with  the 
intonative,  and  limited  resources  of  the  brute.* 

It  has  been  the  oversight  and  misfortune  of  the  Old  school  of 
Imitation,  that   even  Math    the   striking   analogies  of   Rhetoric, 

*  This  charge  of  a  Theatric  manor  on  any  pompous  or  afootod  speaker,  is 
one  of  the  inumerable  instances  of  the  inconsistent  and  miidled  human  mind. 
The  world  of  Taste  goes  to  the  Theater  to  hear  the  jmrest  stylo  of  Elocution, 
and  thinks  it  so,  or  it  would  not  continue  its  aprobation.  Dignitaries  of  the 
Church  and  their  plebean  folowcrs,  who  do  not  go  to  this  Wicked  Place,  would 
dej)reciate  the  character  of  an  elegant  amusement  they  dare  not,  with  worldly 
motives,  enjoys  and  therefore  condemn  it.  From  some  of  their  metapliysical 
notions,  or  from  Shakspeare's  caricature  of  a  particular  '  robustious  fellow 
tearing  a  pasion  to  ragsj '  they  speak  of  any  ostentatious  maner,  whether  in 
school-boys,  or  the  Pulpit,  as  theatric.  And  acording  to  the  objector  in 
the  present  casoj  instruction  on  the  principles  of  vocal  Time  and  Intonation 
must  necesarily  produce  this  Tiieatric  afectation.  I  cannot,  by  the  scale  of 
our  analysis,  positively  decide  on  tlu*  Archbishop's  cxomplilicafion  of  his 
'  reasoning  and  argument,'  from  n(!ver  having  had  the  oportunity  of  hearing 
him  read. 


THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTIOX    IN    ELOCUTION.  479 

Music,  Painting  and  the  Landscape,  severaly  founded  on  the  re- 
lations of  these  Arts,  to  capacities  and  principles  in  the  human 
mindj  they  never  perceved,  tho  they  obscurely  used  without  j^er- 
ceving,  the  equaly  elegant,  and  for  human  purposes,  the  more 
esential  relations  of  the  modes  and  forms  of  the  voice,  to  the 
mental  states  of  thot  and  pasion ;  and  therefore  remained  deaf  to 
the  cries  of  sister-principles  of  propriety  and  taste,  craving  to 
be  admited  into  the  Esthetic  family,  as  the  New-born  art  of 
Elocution. 

From  what  is  here  said,  we  may  ofer  three  remarks  on  this  ob- 
jection to  the  use  of  Rules  in  the  Art  of  Readmg.  First.  An 
atempt  to  teach  by  rules,  under  a  partial  knowledge  of  the  con- 
stituents of  speech,  could  never  in  the  old  school,  except  by 
chance,  have  been  elegantly  right;  and  must  have  been  often  for- 
maly  and  afectedly  wrong.  Second.  It  was  from  the  want  of  the 
Universal  Rules  of  Speech,  drawn  from  a  full  analysis  of  its  con- 
stituents, that  led  the  old  school,  to  concludej  there  could  be  none. 
And  it  was  this  want,  that  led  its  folowers,  in  groping  after  an  in- 
definable excelence,  whether  natural  or  artificial,  to  fall  into  their 
inherent  constraint  and  afectation ;  the  real  causes  of  which  they 
had  not  a  suficient  light  of  analysis  and  rule,  to  enable  them  to 
avoid.  Third.  The  efect  of  our  proposed  system  of  analysis  and 
principles  for  teaching  the  art  of  reading,  and  for  insuring  its 
freedom  from  formality  and  afectation,  will  be  the  same  in  every 
other  art,  whether  useful  or  esthetic.  In  all,  it  is  necesary  to  know 
what  is  to  be  done,  and  what  means  are  to  be  thotfuly  employed, 
to  do  it  well ;  to  practice  its  rules,  at  first  perhaps  awkwardly,  in 
closely  and  slowly  thinking  of  their  aplicationj  and  by  this  frequent 
repetition,  to  enable  the  act,  so  far  to  wean  itself  from  the  di- 
rective purpose,  as  to  become  an  eficacious  habit;  and  finaly,  to 
use  a  full  knowledge  of  the  art,  with  almost  the  unperceved 
power  of  what  we  have  metaphoricaly  caled  a  scientific  instinct. 
The  purely  acquired  human  art  of  Swiming,  unasLsted  by  in- 
stinct, tho  learned  with  tedious  efortj  directed  by  earnest  thotj 
and  only  mastered  at  last  by  careful  atention  to  every  imitative 
and  embarasing  motionj  is  afterwards,  from  that  atention  fading 
into  habit,  suc^sfully  employed  in  danger j  with  the  thot  only  of 
the  shore  to  be  reached,  and  the  life  to  be  saved :  and  in  like  nianer, 


480  THE   MEANS    OF    IXSTRUCTIOX    IX    ELOCUTION. 

the  purity,  propriety,  energy  and  elegance  of  rhetorical  composi- 
tionj  which  slowly  perceved,  and  only  thoroly  learned,  by  close 
atention  to  their  particulars  and  to  the  rules  that  should  govern 
them,  as  our  unfriendly  Prelate  must  have  known  by  self-expe- 
riencej  are  afterwards,  without  a  perception  of  those  particulars, 
aplied  in  public  oratory  to  the  broad  purposes  of  a  well  instructed 
and  sucesful  eloquence. 

I  have  often  been  led  to  consider  the  oposite  characters  of 
propriety  in  the  style  of  Composition,  and  of  impropriety  in  the 
Vocal  habits  of  speakers.  Our  Western  World  is  overrun  by 
itinerant  lecturers,  and  ubiquitous  speech-makers  of  every  sort; 
the  same  in  class  with  the  Older  Sophistsj  but  without  their  care- 
ful Rhetoric,  and  the  candid  Avarning  of  their  Name :  yet  however 
humble  their  subject-mater  and  their  taste,  the  most  insignificant 
and  iliterate  so  to  call  them,  are  often  as  conected  in  their  words 
and  sentences  as  the  orator  of  higher  j^ower  and  scholarship; 
while  in  their  respective  intonations,  and  other  modes  of  the  voice, 
they  are  sometimes  both-alike,  often  no  more  than  negatively 
agreeable  and  corect,  and  generaly,  in  various  degrees  indistinct, 
afected,  monotonous,  outrageous,  or  false,  to  a  cultivated  ear. 

Two  causes  at  least  may  be  asigned  for  this  diference.  Onej 
that  the  crowd  of  the  world  is  too  often  satisfied  with  a  careles 
maner  in  its  aifairs ;  and  as  the  greater  part  of  what  is  caled 
Oratory,  compared  with  the  permanent  words  and  works  of  ^^"is- 
dom,  relates  only  to  the  events  and  opinions  of  the  dayj  it  is 
looked  upon  as  unecesary  to  waste  atention  on  tlie  voice ;  especialy 
under  the  belief,  that  Nature  spontaneously  directs  what  is  here 
required.  This  is  exemplified  by  the  many  instances  of  deformed 
elocution,  among  the  renowned  dialectic  speakers  of  the  Senate, 
the  Pulpit,  and  the  Bar ;  with  whom  the  vocal  j)art  of  education, 
being  considered  as  not  csential,  the  Orator  in  his  ambitious  con- 
tentions, and  delusions,  thinks  or  finds,  he  does  not  need  its  asist- 
ancc.  Hence  with  a  Slavery-agitator  in  the  American  Congress, 
and  an  Abolition-preacher  about  tlie  streets,  there  is  equaly  an 
ignorant  disregard  to  the  proper,  and  certainly  to  the  elegant  uses 
of  the  voice. 

The  other  cause  shows  why  speakers  are  equaly  corect,  or  nearly 
so,  in  the  gramatical  character  of  their  discourse.     For  having  by 


THE   MEANS   OF   IXSTRUCTION   IX   ELOCUTION.  481 

truth  or  sophistry,  to  convince  or  to  persuade  their  liearers,  it 
must  be  with  a  conected  order  of  discourse,  however  defective  or 
false  the  intonation.  To  render  their  language  comprehensible, 
they  are  obliged  in  childhood  to  learn  the  right  perceptions  of 
Avords;  afterwards  to  acquire  by  book  or  imitation  the  proprieties  of 
gramar,  with  the  meaning  of  phrases  and  punctuation ;  and  finaly 
to  folow  examples  of  a  ])roper  arangement  of  words  and  sentences. 
In  this  case  the  speaker  is  compeled  to  acknowledge  his  ignorance 
and  his  obligation  to  learn.  And  as  neither  the  Speaker  nor  the 
Audience  perceve  a  diference  between  the  right  and  the  wrong  in 
the  voicej  ignorance  with  both  being  their  defense  against  knowl- 
edgej  neither  thinks  it  necesaiy  to  learn,  and  the  speaker,  like  our 
Learned  Prelate,  regards  the  power  of  properly  using  his  voice  as 
a  natural  gift,  which  would  be  forfeited  by  the  interference  of 
systematic  instruction. 

We  can  here  perceve  the  causes  why  respectively,  Parliamentary 
Burkesj  and  itinerant  Fanatics  with  other  Demagogues,  folow  the 
same  rules  of  gramar  and  composition  in  their  style ;  and  folow 
no  rule  at  all,  in  the  corupted  instinct  of  their  intonation. 

This  is  our  view  of  some  of  the  objections,  made  against  an 
attempt  to  teach  the  Esthetic  uses  of  the  voice,  by  systematic  and 
comunicable  principles.  We  will  not  confer  importance  on  them 
by  special  refutation.  In  so  doing,  we  should  only  record  some 
vain  opinions  of  this  age,  which  a  future  one  need  not  know.  At 
the  present  time,  let  us  not  be  concerned  if  the  history  of  the  voice 
contained  in  this  esay,  and  the  Plan  of  instruction  founded  upon 
it,  should  be  '  either  stumbling-block  or  foolishnes,'  to  the  groping 
school  of  mystagogues  and  imitators.* 

*  In  aclition  to  the  iniposibility  of  influencing  those,  who  in  the  present 
age  pass  for  Philosophers  and  Thinking  men,  and  who  asert  that  Elocution 
cannot  be  tat  by  analysis  and  rule;  it  is  no  less  hopeles  to  persuade  those 
to  learn,  who,  not  quite  so  impenetrable  as  the  former,  only  maintain  j  it  would 
give  no  return  for  the  trouble.  "Why  should  we  labor,  they  ask,  to  acquire  an 
art  which  when  needed  will  be  no  more  than  the  spontaneous  result  of  thot 
and  pasion  ;  or  why  improve  that  which  some  visionary  and  interested  re- 
former tells  us,  is  not  well  done  already  ? 

This  question  is  so  broadly  answered  by  the  record  of  facts  in  this  volume, 
that  I  shall  here  merely  ilustrate  its  eroneous  suposition,  by  comparing  our 
humble  subject  of  Elocution  with  the  transcending  subject  of  Government : 


482  THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION. 

The  preceding  history  furnishes  materials,  for  raising  elocution 
to  the  condition  of  a  Regular  Art,  if  not  of  a  Science ;  and  we 
must  look  to  the  comparisons,  and  conclusions  of  taste,  for  precepts 

the  principles  of  which,  equaly  with  those  of  speech,  everj'  one  thinks  he 
comprehends  by  intuition. 

Unlike  as  these  subjects  may  seem  when  thus  presented  together,  they  have 
thro  ages,  each  in  its  own  misguided  eforts,  shown  the  same  proportion  of 
grave  pretensions,  of  unfounded  or  ill-aplied  facts,  of  erudite  discusions,  of 
indefinite  precept,  of  contradictory  practice,  and  of  deplorable  failure  in  its 
boasted  promises.  Each  has  had  a  thousand  diferent  and  contending  schools; 
more  than  thousands  of  examples  of  individual  authority ;  with  schools,  and 
authorities  variously  overthrowing  one  another,  and  neither  able  to  furnish  a 
general  principle,  or  instance,  for  universal  aprobation  :  no  Speaker,  whether 
by  his  '  Genius  '  or  his  'Imitation  '  able  to  answer  the  acurate  demands  of  the 
mind  and  ear:  no  sovereign  Despot  or  Democratic  sovereign,  able  to  satisfy 
the  wishes  and  the  wants  of  the  subject  or  the  citizen ;  and  each  from  a  simi- 
lar cause.  One  has  no  uniform  rule  of  expresion,  drawn  from  nature,  f'>r  di- 
recting his  speech  ;  the  other  no  uniform  or  consistent  rule  of  Law,  Morality, 
or  Keligion,  to  control  his  conduct.  The  speaker,  ignorant  of  what  is  proper 
or  elegant  in  the  voice,  falls  into  his  'natural  manner,'  and  disputes  himself 
into  enmity  with  the  '  natural  manner  '  of  another  ;  the  Governed,  not  finding 
what  is  wise  and  just,  falls  into  the  selfishnes  of  his  pasions,  and  brings  his 
diference  with  others  to  a  civil  war.  The  Statesman  narows-down  the  great 
problem,  on  the  causes  and  cure  of  the  anti-social  vices  of  pride,  vanity,  ava- 
rice, ignorance  and  ambition,  to  the  futile  question  of  the  comparative  wisdom 
and  the  rights  of  the  Many,  and  of  the  Few  :  just  as  the  Elocutionist  has  nar- 
owed  the  great  purpose  of  the  vocal  means  in  nature,  by  a  paltry  clasification 
of  the  disciples  of  the  Art,  into  those  of  'Genius'  and  '  Imitation.' 

But,  in  artful  transformation,  the  Few  in  government  thru  pride  and  wealth, 
asume  the  power  of  the  Many  :  and  the  Many,  by  falsehood  and  fraud,  asume 
the  cuning  of  the  Few.  The  many  in  government,  are  then  made  to  beleve, 
that  man  is  incapable  of  any  other  perception,  than  that  of  being  a  slave  to 
the  Prime  management  of  a  Eoyal  Minister,  or  to  the  Prime  Knavery  of  a 
self-serving  Demagogue.  The  Many  in  Elocution  are  made  to  beleve,  they 
can  speak-well,  only  by  the  '  Inspiration  of  Identitj','  or  the  '  natural  maner  ' 
of  the  School.  And  bad  readers,  under  the  restrictive  authority  of  the  Old 
Elocution  ;  and  miserable  suferers,  under  make  shift  Monarchies  and  Repub- 
lics, are  alike  led  to  comfort  themselves,  respectively  in  their  bad  taste,  and 
unhapines,  by  these  similar  questions  of  pasive  submision:  Why  should  we 
raise  the  ire  of  the  Old  School,  with  trying  to  read  by  the  new  analysis  ?  and 
why  should  we  disturb  a  Government  by  tr3-ing  to  reform  it?  when  the  Mas- 
ters of  vocal  instruction  and  Imperial  and  Mass-meeting  legislators,  themselves 
so  incorigible,  cannot  admit,  that  the  art  of  Speech  in  one  case,  and  "f  luimnn 
hapiness  in  the  other,  is  not  as  perfect  under  the  present  order  of  things,  as 
the  purposes  of  knowledge  and  taste,  and  the  rights  of  man  can  ever  posibly 
require  ? 


THE    MEANS   OF    INSTEUCTION    IX    ELOCUTION.  483 

to  direct  the  use  of  these  materials.  Our  history  -will  not  only 
aford  the  means  for  reducing  the  arbitrary  fashion  of  the  voice, 
to  something  like  that  method  and  rule,  to  which  the  other  fine 
arts  have  been  already  brought,  among  their  educated  and  reflect- 
ing votariesj  but  it  opens  a  new  field  on  the  subject  of  instruc- 
tion. All  arts  when  reduced  to  their  elements,  have  been  reconi- 
posed  into  systematic  order  for  teaching  by  the  Primary  School 
of  those  elements ;  and  it  now  becomes  us  to  try  what  time  may 
be  saved,  what  old  views  may  be  cleared  from  obscurity,  and  what 
wider  knowledge  obtained,  by  a  rudimental  plan  in  describing  the 
several  modes  of  the  voice,  conveying  the  mental  states  of  thot 
and  pasion. 

Language  was  long  ago  resolved  into  its  alphabetic  elements, 
and  its  Parts  of  speech.  "Wherever  that  analysis  is  known,  the 
art  of  gramar  is  with  the  best  suces,  conducted  upon  this  method. 
If  then  the  thotive  and  expresive  uses  of  the  voice  should  be  tat 
by  a  similar  analysis,  the  advantage  would  be  no  less,  than  from 
the  alphahetic  and  gramatical  resolution.  In  this  way  Ave  teach 
a  child  its  leters  and  their  union  into  words  :  surely  then,  there  is 
no  cause  why  a  clear  perception  of  the  varieties  of  stres,  of  time, 
and  of  intonation,  and  the  power  of  knowingly  employing  them 
in  curent  uterance,  should  not  be  acquired  in  a  similar  elementary 
maner. 

The  art  of  reading-well  consists  in  having  all  the  constituents 
of  speech,  both  alphabetic  and  expresive,  under  complete  comand ; 
to  be  by  Nature's  directive  instinct,  properly  aplied,  for  the  im- 
I^resive  and  elegant  representation  of  every  state  of  the  mind.  I 
shall  not  however  in  this  section,  consider  the  modes  of  the  voice 
as  expresive  of  thot  or  pasion :  but  shall  describe  the  means  for 
providing  the  manageable  material  of  speech,  whenever  the  pur- 
poses of  the  mind  may  require  its  use. 

If  I  were  a  teacher  of  elocution,  I  Avould  frame  a  didactic  sys- 
tem of  elementary  exercises,  similar  to  that  which  taut  me,  what- 
ever the  well-read  critic  may  find  to  be  new,  in  this  volume ;  and 
would  asign  my  pupil  a  task  under  the  following  heads : 

Of  Practice  on  the  Alphabetic  Elements.  Notwithstanding  we 
are  all  taut  the  alphabet,  we  are  not  taut  the  true  elements  of 
speech :  I  would  therefore  require  the  pupil,  to  exercise  his  voice 


484  THE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTION   IN   ELOCUTION. 

on  the  elements,  as  they  are  sounded  in  a  strict  analysis  of  words. 
In  the  present  school-system  of  the  alphabet,  many  vowels  have 
no  peculiar  symbol,  and  nearly  all  the  consonants  when  separately 
pronounced,  are  heard  as  sylables,  not  as  elements.  If  h  and  k 
and  /,  be  sounded  as  respectively  heard  in  6-ay,  and  Z;-ing,  and 
Z-ovej  or,  if  we  jDause  after  these  several  initial  sounds  have  es- 
caped the  organs,  we  have  the  real  element,  instead  of  the  com- 
pounds he,  kay,  and  ell,  as  they  are  universaly  taut :  and  the  like 
is  true  of  all  the  consonants. 

Let  the  first  lesson  consist  of  a  separate,  an  exact,  and  a  re- 
peated pronunciation  of  each  of  the  thirty-five  elements,  thereby 
to  insure  a  true  and  easy  execution  of  their  un  mingled  sounds : 
the  pupil  being  careful  to  pronounce,  not  the  alphabetic  sylable 
of  the  school,  but  the  pure  and  indivisible  vocal  element ;  however 
unusual  and  uncouth  that  sound  may  in  some  cases,  be  to  his  ear. 
It  may  be  askedj  if  a  careful  pronunciation  of  words,  in  which 
these  elements,  combined  with  others,  must  still  be  heard,  would 
not  give  the  necesary  exactnes  and  facility  ?  I  beleve  it  would 
not.  When  the  elements  are  pronounced  singly,  they  may  receve 
an  undivided  energy  of  the  organic  efort,  and  therewith  a  clearnes 
of  sound,  and  a  definite  outline,  that  make  a  fine  preparative  for 
distinct  and  forcible  pronunciation  in  the  compounds  of  speech. 
And  perhaps  no  one  who  has  neglected  this  elementary  practice, 
is  able  to  efect  the  vocality  of  b,  d,  and  g,  with  the  force,  fulnes, 
and  duration,  required  on  ocasions,  for  the  higher  powers  and 
graces  of  elocution.  The  eficacy  of  this  separate  practice,  in 
giving  a  comand  over  the  alphabetic  sounds,  is  most  remarkable 
in  the  r. 

The  element  r  is  a  modification  of  the  vocality  of  the  subtonics, 
and  denotes  two  diferent  articulations.  One  is  made  by  a  quiet 
aplication  of  the  tongue  to  the  roof  of  the  mouth ;  the  other  by 
its  quick  percusion  against  that  part.  The  r  produced  by  the 
first  organic  position,  (lifers  very  little  from  the  short  tonic  c-rr, 
and  may  be  caled  the  Quiet  r.  That  made  by  percusion,  the 
Percussive  r.  The  later  has  a  distinctnes  of  character  and  a  body 
of  sound,  not  posesed  by  the  former^  and  if  the  metaphor  can  be 
apreciated,  the  [)arts  concerned  in  its  formation  seem  to  have  a 
firmer  grasp  of  the  breath.     Yet  this  Percusivc  r,  even  with  its 


THE    MEANS   OF    INSTRUCTIOX    IX    ELOCUTION.  485 

vigor,  and  satisfactory  fulnes,  will  be  agreeable  only  when  it  con- 
sists of  one,  or  at  most,  two  or  three  strokes  and  rebounds  of  the 
tongue :  for  should  it  be  a  continued  vibration,  the  efect  will  be 
ofensively  harsh,  if  not  expresly  designed  for  a  ruf  or  energetic 
uterance ;  but  even  this  should  be  avoided.  The  perfect  r,  for 
the  purposes  of  distinct  and  impresive  speech,  shud  consist  of  a 
single  slap  and  retraction :  and  it  can  be  made  in  this  maner,  by 
diligent  practice,  on  the  solitary  element. 

Besides  the  dificulty  of  acquiring  strength  and  acuracy  in  this 
se^Darate  pronunciation^  certain  combinations  of  the  r,  with  other 
elements  can  be  efected  in  an  agreeable  maner,  only  by  asiduity. 
A  subtonic  or  atonic  that  employs  the  tongue  in  one  position,  will 
not  readily  unite  with  an  element,  requiring  a  quick  remove  of  the 
tongue  to  another  part  of  the  mouthj  even  when  the  element  is 
produced,  as  in  the  quiet  r,  by  a  simjile  presure  of  the  tongue ; 
but  the  dificulty  of  transition  is  much  increased,  by  the  velocity 
necesary  for  the  percusive  r.  Let  us  for  instance,  take  the  syla- 
bic  step  from  d  to  r,  in  the  word  dread.  As  the  formation  of  d 
requires  the  tip  of  the  tongue  to  be  aplied  to  the  uper  fore-teethj 
should  r  be  taken  quietly,  the  confluence  of  these  elements  may  be 
easily  made,  by  retracting  the  tongue  to  the  contiguous  place  for 
forming  the  r.  When  however  we  roughen  the  word  by  the  per- 
cussive r,  the  tongue  is  brought  down  from  the  teeth,  towards  its 
bed,  in  a  kind  of  drawing-otf,  for  making  thereby,  a  suden  im- 
pulse against  the  roof  of  the  mouth ;  and  it  calls  for  both  efort 
and  skill,  to  acomplish  these  sucesive  movements  with  that  quick- 
nes,  which  sylabic  coalescence  requires. 

There  is  also  considerable  dificulty  in  uniting  the  percusive  r 
with  some  of  the  tonics ;  and  the  cause  is  analogous  to  that  above 
described. 

When  the  percusive  r  is  set  be/ore  the  tonics,  the  coalescence  is 
easy,  as  in  I'ude,  reed:  but  it  is  not  so  when  it  folows  certain  of 
these  elements.  If  the  tonics  are  of  long  quantity,  there  is  in 
some  cases,  only  the  slightest  dificulty ;  as  in  glare,  war,  far,  peer, 
mire,  our,  your.  Should  the  short-tonics  e-rr,  e-nd  and  i'-n,  and 
most  of  the  other  tonics  when  pronoiniced  short,  precede  the  per- 
cusive r,  there  will  be  the  unpleasant  efort  of  a  hiatus,  together 
with  that  peculiar  efect  of  a  union  of  tonic  and  aspiration,  which 


486  THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION. 

forms  one  of  the  characteristics  of  speech  in  the  natives  of  Ireland. 
This  will  be  perceved,  upon  pronouncing  the  words,  interpreter, 
world,  iritate,  intercourse.  The  cause  of  the  hiatus  and  of  this 
inevitable  Irishism  apears  in  the  folowing  explanation. 

The  tonic  sounds,  tho  in  greater  part  laryngeal,  are  in  some  cases 
modified  by  the  agency  of  the  tongue  and  li])s.  The  tongue  in 
sj)eech  is  employed  in  varying  positions,  from  the  deepest  depres- 
sion in  its  bed,  till  nearly  in  contact  with  the  roof  of  the  mouth. 
Its  place  in  the  uterance  of  a- we  is  the  lowest;  and  the  highest  in 
ee-\,  c-nd  and  i-n.  If  these  short  tonics  precede  the  percusive  r, 
there  is  a  hiatus,  from  a  dificulty  in  making  the  percusion ;  and 
this  changes  the  tonic  into  a  semi-aspiration.  When  a-we  precedes 
r,  the  tongue  being  in  its  bed  is  in  the  proper  position  for  making 
the  impulse,  and  the  combination  of  this  a-we  with  the  r,  is  easy, 
and  is  free  from  aspiration,  as  in  aurelia  and  reward. 

In  the  case  then,  of  the  short  tonics  preceding  the  percusive  r, 
it  is  necesary  to  bring  down  the  tongue  from  its  short- tonic  posi- 
tion at  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  to  its  bedj  to  give  it  starting-way, 
so  to  speak,  for  gaining  its  percusive  velocity.  The  aim  to  efect 
this  in  the  quickest  time,  produces  the  hiatus  of  pronunciation. 
Yet  with  every  endeavor,  there  is  still  a  perceptible  interval  be- 
tween the  change  in  the  position  of  the  tongue,  from  its  short- 
tonic  place  down  to  its  bed,  and  subsequently  up  to  the  roof  of  the 
mouth,  the  place  of  the  percusive  r.  And  as  there  is  no  cesation 
of  vocality  during  the  time  of  the  change,  the  depresion  of  the 
tongue,  or  some  other  cause,  gives  that  vocality  its  asjurated  char- 
acter. This  mingling  of  aspiration  with  the  short  tonic,  and  the 
percusive  r,  produces  the  disagreeable  efect  in  the  uterance  of  these 
conjoined  elements ;  nor  can  it  be  altogether  avoided,  except  by 
using  the  quiet  r. 

Tlie  dificulty  of  executing  the  r,  under  the  circumstances  above- 
mentioned,  will  I  fear,  be  insurmountable  to  those  who  are  not 
persuadcdj  the  perfection  of  their  acomplislimcnts  nnist  at  last  be 
due  to  their  own  habits,  their  knowledge,  and  their  industry. 
Those  who  know  how  necesarily  a  fruitful  desire  of  improvement 
is  the  result  of  wise  docility  of  mind  and  heartfelt  resolution,  have 
only  to  learu  that  it  is  within  the  capabilities  of  time  and  exertion. 
How  long  it  may  take  to  overcome  the  dificultics  here  abided  to. 


THE  :meaxs  of  ixstructiox  in  elocution.  487 

must  depend  on  instinctive  facility  of  uterance  :  nor  need  it  be 
told  to  those  who  deserve  instruction,  and  will  have  succes.  To 
such  persons,  it  is  enuf  that  it  may  be  done. 

An  exact  pronunciation  of  the  elements  according  to  the  rule  of 
the  day,  is  a  mater-  of  importance,  not  with  reference  alone  to  the 
law  of  fashion.     It  has  a  claim  of  greater  dignity. 

When  states  of  mind  are  to  be  comunicated  with  precision  and 
force,  it  should  be  by  well-known  words,  not  peculiar  in  sound, 
nor  striking  by  length,  nor  by  dificult  uterance.  There  should  be 
no  remarkable  contrast  between  them ;  no  atractive  and  disturbing 
similarity ;  nor  anything  in  the  language,  to  alure  atention  from 
the  thot  conveyed  by  it.  A  writer,  who  frequently  employs  un- 
coraon  words,  except  in  technical  instruction,  never  has  vividnes 
or  strength,  or  may  I  say  transparency  of  style.  For  the  acom- 
plishment  of  these  objects,  sounds  should  slip  efectively  into  the 
mind,  almost  without  the  notice  of  the  ear ;  and  the  meaning  of 
an  Author  not  conveyed  slowly  under  obscurity  but  at  once,  thro 
the  clearest  light  of  simplicity  and  truth.  What  is  said,  on  the 
distractions  produced  by  novelty  and  peculiarity  of  words,  aplies 
equaly  to  the  pronunciation  of  alphabetic  elements ;  as  the  least 
deviation  from  the  asuraed  standard,  converts  the  listener  into  a 
critic :  and  it  is  perhaps  sjieaking  within  bounds  to  say,  that  for 
every  miscaled  element  in  discourse,  ten  suceding  words,  if  not 
more,  are  lost  to  the  observant  and  reflective  part  of  an  audience. 
I  have  therefore  recomended  a  long-continued  practice  on  the 
separate  elementsj  for  acquiring  that  comand  over  them,  which 
not  only  contributes  to  the  elegance  of  speech,  but  at  the  same 
time,  may  helj)  to  remove  all  obscurity  from  the  vocal  picture  of 
thot  and  pasion. 

Of  Practice  on  the  Time  of  Elements.  Enough  has  been  said 
in  former  pages,  on  the  necesity  of  a  full  comand  over  the  time  of 
uterancej  for  efecting  the  important  purposes  of  elocution. 

A^^hen  the  pupil  has  acquired  a  true  pronunciation  of  the  ele- 
ments, he  should  not,  acordi ng  to  the  usage  of  the  primer,  pass  at 
once  to  combine  them  into  words.  They  are  emj^loyed  in  speech 
under  various  degrees  of  duration  ;  and  diligent  practice  on  these 
degrees  will  create  a  habit  of  skilful  management,  not  so  well  nor 
so  easily  acquired  by  exercise  on  the  comon  curent  of  discourse. 


488  THE   MEANS   OF   IXSTRUCTION   IX   ELOCUTIOX. 

Let  the  pupil  then  consider  the  alphabetic  elements  as  a  kind  of 
Time-table,  on  which  he  is  to  learn  all  their  varieties  of  quantity. 
The  power  of  giving  -well  measured  length  to  sylables  is  so  rare 
among  speakers,  that  I  have  been  induced  to  draw  especial  aten- 
tion  to  this  elementary  method  of  instruction. 

Altho  a  prolongation  of  the  atonies  is  of  little  consequencej  let 
the  pupil  reiterate  his  practice  on  the  tonics  and  subtonics,  until 
he  finds  himself  posesed  of  such  a  comand  over  them,  that  he  may 
at  will,  give  the  quantity  to  their  sylabic  combinations. 

The  elements  6,  d,  and  g,  admiting  of  only  a  slight  variation  of 
quantity,  on  the  prolongation  of  their  feeble  vocalityj  a  strenuous 
practice  on  their  individual  sounds  is  necesary  to  render  them 
aplicable  to  the  purposes  of  oratorical  time. 

When  r  is  to  be  prolonged,  and  the  rapid  iteration  would  be 
inapropriate,  the  quiet  form  of  the  element  should  be  employed ; 
the  percusive  r,  made  by  a  single  stroke  and  rebound  of  the 
tongue,  being  necesarily  short. 

Tlie  element  s,  when  alone  and  prolonged,  is  a  sign  of  con- 
tempt. In  sylabic  combination  it  is  ofensive  if  much  extended 
in  quantity;  under  its  shortest  time,  it  still  performs  its  part 
in  speech,  and  loses  mucli  of  the  character  of  the  hiss.  Let  the 
pupil  therefore  practice  the  shortest  quantity  on  this  element, 
by  abruptly  terminating  the  breath,  or  by  separating  the  teeth 
at  the  moment  its  sound  is  heard ;  for  this  at  once  cuts  it  short. 
Here  is  not  the  place  to  remark  how  carefuly  a  repetition  of 
this  element  in  suceding  words,  particularly  if  emphatic,  is  to  be 
avoided. 

Of  Practice  on  the  Vanishing  Movement.  This  subject  should 
perha})S,  have  been  considered  under  the  last  head  ;  for  an  atcmpt 
to  prolong  the  elements  without  reference  to  the  equable  concrete 
of  speech,  is  very  apt  to  produce  the  note  of  song.  The  difercnce 
between  these  two  forms  of  intonation  even  on  a  single  tonic,  will 
be  perceptible  to  an  experimental  ear,  by  keeping  in  mind  at  the 
moment  of  trial,  the  well  known  and  })eculiar  efect  both  of  speedi 
and  of  song.  The  pupil  then,  witliout  confusing  his  ear  by  other 
particulars,  should  exercise  his  voice  on  tlie  simple  form  of  the 
radical  and  vanish,  on  all  extendible  elements.  An  unering  power 
in  executing  this  function,  however  long  the  quantity  maybe,  will 


TIIE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUOTIOX   IX    ELOCUTIOX.  489 

ahvays  insure  to  speech,  an  entire  exemption  from  tlie  protracted 
radical. 

In  this  elementary  intonation  of  the  equable  concrete,  atention 
should  be  paid  to  the  structure  of  the  vanish.  The  pupil  must 
therefore  endeavor  to  give  it  that  delicate  expiration  which  may 
render  the  point  of  its  limit  almost  imperceptible :  for  this  is  its 
proper  form,  except  some  purpose  of  expresion  should  require  a 
more  obvious  demarkation.  We  often  lean  the  ear  in  delight, 
over  this  smooth  breathing  of  sound  into  silence,  by  singers;  and 
the  master  m  elocution  shall  hereafter  know,  that  one  of  those 
'graces'  which  he  could  never  name,  and  even  thot  'beyond  the 
reach  of  artj'  but  which  Art  conjoined  with  Science,  is  now  ready 
to  teach  himj  consists  in  this  atenuation  and  close  of  the  sylabic 
impulse,  here  recomended  as  a  lesson  for  the  school-boy. 

Of  Practice  on  Force.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  how 
loudnes  of  voice,  or  the  forte,  is  to  be  acquired.  It  Ls  not  esential 
to  our  discipline,  that  the  elements  should  be  utered  separately 
vrith  regard  to  force.  When  the  other  constituents  of  expresive 
speech  are  brought  under  comand,  exercise  on  this  mode  may  be 
efected  during  the  curent  of  discourse.  Still  the  ends  of  instruc- 
tion would  be  somewhat  easier  atained  by  the  elementar\'  proces 
in  this  particular.  Few  persons  perceve  the  influence  that  loud 
speaking  or  vociferation  has  on  vocality.  We  have  already 
learnedj  it  is  one  of  the  means  for  acquiring  the  orotund.  It 
takes  the  voice  aparently,  from  its  meager  mincing  about  the  lips, 
and  transfers  it,  at  least  in  semblance,  to  the  back  of  the  mouth, 
or  to  the  throat.  It  imparts  a  grave  fulnes  to  its  character ;  and 
by  creating  a  strength  of  organ,  gives  confidence  to  the  speaker  in 
his  more  forcible  eforts ;  and  an  unhesitating  facility  in  all  the 
moderate  exertions  of  speech. 

Of  Practice  on  Stres.  Altho  the  elementary  exercise  on  force  as 
a  general  rule,  may  not  be  necesary,  I  must  urge  its  importance, 
in  particular  sylabic  stres.  There  is  a  nicety  in  this  mater,  that 
will  be  definitely  recognized,  and  consequently  can  become  familiar, 
only  after  the  deliberate  practice  and  unembarassed  observation, 
aforded  by  trials  on  the  separate  elements. 

It  was  said  formerly,  that  radical  stres  is  made  with  emphatic 
strength  only  on  the  tonics ;  still,  an  atempt  to  aply  it  to  the  sub- 
32 


490  THE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTION   IN   ELOCUTION. 

tonics  is  not  to  be  entirely  neglected.  The  full  power  of  radical 
abruptnes  in  the  tonics  is  efected,  by  opening  the  elements  into 
uterance,  with  a  sort  of  coughing  explosion.  The  pupil  cannot  be 
too  strongly  urged  to  a  careful  practice,  on  tliis  subjectj  that  he 
may  thereby  acquire  the  habit  of  giving  abruptnes,  instantly  and 
with  moderated  force.  Here  its  peculiar  character  as  a  Mode  of 
the  voice  is  aparent,  and  its  clasification'  defensiblej  in  making  a 
satisfactory  impulse  on  the  ear,  without  the  hamering  strokes  of 
an  uncultivated  pronunciation.  For  this  fault  of  reading  lies  not 
only  in  the  repetition  or  curent  of  a  sharp  and  loud  radical  stres 
on  every  word,  but  that  stres  is  sometimes  caried  into  the  concrete, 
if  not  thro  it,  on  acented  sylables  of  moderate  quantity. 

The  use  of  the  median  stres  or  swell,  requires  no  particular 
direction.  It  is  generaly  employed  on  the  wave,  and  its  practice 
may  therefore  be  conected  with  exercise  on  pitch. 

The  vanishing  stres  may  be  practiced,  by  asuming  in  speech 
something  like  the  efort  of  hicup  for  the  wider  intervals ;  and  of 
sobbing,  for  the  minor  third  and  semitone.  We  do  not  recomend 
practice  on  the  minor  third,  with  reference  to  its  alowable  use  in 
speech ;  but  to  render  it  so  familiar  to  the  ear,  that  it  may  be 
avoided  as  a  fault.  Elementa,ry  exercise  on  Compound  stres,  and 
the  Loud  Concrete,  will  give  facility  in  the  comand  of  these  forms 
of  Force.  Practice  on  Thoro  stres,  with  a  strict  comparison  of  its 
efect,  on  long  quantity,  with  the  efect  of  the  equable  concrete,  is 
here  recomended,  that  the  jjupil  may  by  his  own  knowledge,  per- 
ception of  propriety,  and  taste,  rather  than  by  any  authority  of 
mine,  be  guarded  against  this  vocal  sign  of  phlegmatic  rudeness. 

Of  Practice  on  Pitch.  The  several  scales  used  in  speech  were 
described  in  the  first  section.  The  order  of  proximate  intervals  in 
the  diatonic,  and  the  skip  of  its  wider  transitions,  must  be  learned 
from  an  instrument,  or  the  voice.  AVith  a  few  days'  atcntion  to  the 
various  rising  and  faling  movements,  on  the  keys  of  a  piano-forte, 
or  in  the  voice  of  a  master,  a  pupil  who  has  the  least  nuisical 
ear,  will  be  able  to  execute  the  same  succsions  in  his  voice,  and  to 
recognize  the  concrete  pitch,  and  change  of  radical,  on  elemental 
and  sylabic  utcrance. 

After  this  first  lesson,  let  every  interval  of  })itch,  both  by  con- 
crete movement  and  by  radical  change,  be  practiced  on  every  tonic 


THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION.  491 

and  subtonic  element.  The  semitone  is  easily  recognized  in  a 
plaintive  intonation  :  and  when  exercised  on  all  the  elements  will 
readily  become  obedient  to  the  states  of  mind  requiring  its  ex- 
presion. 

The  efect  of  the  simple  and  uncolored  interval  of  the  second 
must  be  negatively  described  by  sayings  it  is  not  the  semitone, 
with  its  plaintive  character;  nor  the  rising  third,  or  fifth,  or 
octave,  also  well  known  as  the  sign  of  interogation ;  nor  the  down- 
ward movements  of  positive  declaration  and  coraand ;  nor  the 
wave,  with  its  admiration,  surprise,  mockery  and  sneer.  If  then, 
in  sylabic  uterance,  none  of  these  efects  are  produced,  it  may  be 
concludedj  the  voice  is  in  the  simple  second  of  the  diatonic  melody. 
By  practice  on  this  interval,  on  all  the  tonics  and  subtonics,  the 
pupil  will  atain  a  comand  over  the  constituent  of  this  plain  into- 
nation; nor  will  he  be  in  danger  of  destroying  its  apropriate  char- 
acter by  the  whine  of  the  semitone,  the  sharp  inquisitivenes  of  the 
fifth  or  octave,  or  with  the  more  ofensive  afectation  of  the  wider 
forms  of  the  wave. 

The  pupil  will  be  able  to  recognize  a  downward  interval,  by 
familiarizing  his  ear  to  the  efect  of  the  last  constituent  of  the 
triad  of  the  cadence.  This  will  teach  him  the  character  of  the 
faling  second ;  and  by  studiously  repeating  the  tonic  and  subtonic 
elements  in  this  movement,  he  will  have  nearly  as  clear  a  percep- 
tion of  the  peculiarity  of  the  interval,  as  of  the  sounds  of  the  ele- 
ments themselves.  When  prepared  with  this  downward  vanish, 
he  may  contrast  it  with  the  rising  second,  and  thereby  become 
familiar  with  the  audible  character  of  each.  Upon  knowing  the 
second,  the  wider  faling  intervals  M'ill  be  jjerceved  by  continuing 
the  downward  progress,  till  the  intonation  asumes  the  expresion  of 
comand ;  the  extent  of  the  downward  movement  by  a  third,  or 
fifth,  or  octave,  being  proportional  to  the  less  or  greater  degree  of 
that  expresion.  Let  these  wider  intervals  be  compared  with  those 
of  a  rising  direction,  and  the  diference  between  the  intonation  of 
a  question,  and  a  comand,  will  be  strikingly  manifest. 

When  the  pupil  has  gone  over  the  elements,  on  the  simple 
rising  and  faling  intervals,  let  him  turn  to  their  combination,  in 
the  wave.  Here  his  practice  must  be  governed  by  his  perception 
of  the  simple  intervals  which  variously  compose  its  diferent  kinds. 


492  THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION. 

The  wave  of  the  second  is  of  great  importance,  in  the  grave  and 
dignified  character  of  the  diatonic  melody.  I  cannot  by  direct 
description,  bring  it  before  the  ear;  but  in  giving  prolonged  quan- 
tity to  indefinite  sylables,  if  the  efect  of  the  upward  or  downward 
wider  intervals  is  not  recognized^  nor  the  peculiar  note  of  songj 
nor  the  marked  impresion  of  the  wider  wavesj  nor  that  of  the 
plaintive  semitonej  it  may  be  concluded,  the  voice  is  moving  in 
the  wave  of  the  second. 

Of  Practice  on  Melody.  An  important  purpose  on  this  point 
is  the  perception  of  the  radical  changes  of  the  second,  in  the  cur- 
rent of  discourse.  If  the  pupil  has  a  musical  ear,  he  may  easily 
acquire  the  habit  of  varying  the  several  phrases  in  the  maner  for- 
merly proposed.  Should  he  not  have  a  nice  perception  of  sound, 
nor  ingenuity  in  experiment,  he  must  learn  the  diatonic  progresion 
from  the  voice  of  a  previously-instructed  master. 

Melody  is  a  continuous  function ;  practice  under  this  head  must 
therefore  be  made  on  sucesive  sylables.  The  best  method  is  to 
select  a  portion  of  discourse,  to  keep  in  mind  the  diatonic  maner 
in  which  it  should  be  read,  and  at  the  same  time,  to  uter  only  the 
tonic  element  of  each  sylable  ;  and  by  a  sort  of  vocal  short-hand, 
or  instayit  hackings  of  a  momentary  cough,  to  go  thro  this  doted 
outline  as  it  were,  of  the  melody.  In  this  case,  the  ear  not  being 
embarassed  by  the  subtonics,  the  diference  between  rise  and  fall  in 
radical  pitch,  will  be  more  aparent,  and  consequently  the  power  of 
avoiding  monotony,  and  of  mingling  all  the  phrases  in  an  agreeable 
variety,  more  easily  atained. 

Of  Practice  on  the  Cadence.  Tlie  cadence  is  an  important  part 
of  the  melody  of  speech  ;  and  readers  being  therein  liable  to  fre- 
quent and  striking  faults,  the  subject  requires  discriminative  aten- 
tion.  Here  particularly  the  elementary  practice  is  to  be  employed  ; 
the  pupil  bearing  in  mind  the  difcrent  forms  of  intonation  for  ter- 
minating a  sentence^  and  exercising  his  voice  separately  on  one, 
two,  or  three  elements  or  sylables,  considered  as  a  close. 

By  elemcntiiry  practice  on  the  various  species  of  the  cadenccj 
comand  over  their  intonation  will  be  exercised,  with  a  perceptible 
acuracy,  never  yet  within  the  incoherent  purpose  of  any  ancient  or 
modern  system  of  Imitative  disci j)line  ;  for  many  of  these  pur- 
poses were  only  dreams.     After  the  proper  time  devoted  to  th6 


THE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTIOX   IX   ELOCUTION.  493 

plan  here  recomended,  the  pupil  will  be  provided  with  an  ample 
fund  for  every  variety  in  his  periods  ;  nor  will  he  then  find  liim- 
self  at  the  end  of  his  sentence,  with  a  sylable  that  seems  to  have 
got  out-of-joint  with  its  intonation. 

Of  Practice  on  the  Tremor.  The  tremulous  movement  should 
be  practiced  on  individual  elements.  With  a  knowledge  of  its 
various  forms,  the  pupil  may  corect  himself  in  his  task,  and  finaly 
acquire  the  acuracy,  so  esential  to  this  remarkable  expresion.  If 
the  habit  of  lausrhino-  and  cryino^  does  here  furnish  a  wide  field  of 
practice,  it  is  to  be  recolectedj  we  laugh  and  cry  instinctively,  upon 
our  own  delight  and  sufering.  When  the  tremulous  expresion  is 
employed  to  afect  an  audience,  governed  in  its  tastej  as  it  may 
come  to  pass  hereafter,  by  the  knowledge  and  principles  we  are 
here  unfoldingj  it  should  be  done,  not  only  acording  to  the  dictates 
of  Nature,  and  within  the  iluminated  circle  of  her  truth,  but  with 
that  refinement,  and  finish  of  execution,  which  her  incipient  in- 
stinct may  not  have  had  the  purpose  to  acomplish ;  while  yet  ready 
to  acknowledge  their  entire  consistency  with  her  prospective  and 
progresive  laws. 

Of  Practice  on  Vocality.  Vocality  is  capable  of  improvement ; 
and  the  practice  in  this  case  may  be  either  on  the  elements,  or  on 
the  curent  of  discourse.  Yet  as  this  mode  of  the  voice  is  most 
perceptible  on  the  tonic  sound,  perhaps  the  elementary  leson  is  the 
best  for  instruction.  In  whatever  maner  the  improving  exercise 
is  conducted^  by  it,  harshnes  may  be  somewhat  softenedj  a  husky 
voice  be  brought  nearer  to  pure  vocalityj  the  piercing  treble  re- 
duced in  pitchj  and  the  thin  and  meager  voice  indued  with  greater 
fulnes  and  strength. 

There  is,  however,  a  misconception  on  this  subject,  which  may 
be  noticed  here. 

The  characteristic  Vocalities,  or,  as  confounded  with  Pitch,  and 
vaguely  caled,  the  distinguishing  '  tones,'  of  the  voice,  are  said  to 
be  unlimited,  and  like  the  face,  peculiar  to  each  individual.  We 
do  not  often  forget  or  confound  the  known  voices  of  individuals, 
however  numerous  they  may  be ;  a  popular  proof,  that  M'e  all 
have  an  instinctive  and  discriminative  ear,  for  the  things  of  Speech,, 
without  having  names  for  them.  But  the  distinct  recognition  is 
here  made  upon  combinations  of  the  specific  degrees,  and  forms  of 


•494  THE    MEANS    OF    INSTEUCTIOX    IN    ELOCUTION. 

force,  pitch,  and  time,  rather  than  on  the  single  mode  of  vocalitv. 
One  speaker  is  characterized  by  a  constant  use  of  the  vanishing 
stres  ;  another  by  that  of  the  radical ;  one  employs  the  interval  of 
a  third  in  the  curent  melody  instead  of  a  second  ;  some  a  long, 
and  others  a  short  quantity  on  every  emphatic  word.  By  a  varied 
permutation  of  these  features,  a  counties  number  of  diferent,  yet 
distinguishable  faces,  is  given  to  the  body  of  speech.  And  here, 
as  a  coment  on  the  prevalent  notion,  that  speech  with  its  'occult 
qualities,'  is  too  subtle,  imaterial,  or,  to  use  the  Platonic  '  slang ' 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  too  'spiritual,'  to  be  made  a  subject  of 
physical  investigationj  let  us  remark,  that  all  these  faces,  features, 
aye,  and  delicate  expresions  of  speech  are  practically  conizable  by 
comon  perception. 

There  is  as  great  a  variety  in  vocality,  as  in  any  one  mode  of 
the  voicej  and  more  than  of  some ;  the  amount  however,  falls  far 
short  of  the  almost  endles  combinations  of  the  various  forms  of 
the  Modes  with  each  other. 

We  may  learn  that  vocality  is  not  always  its  distinguishing 
markj  by  atending  to  the  prolonged  note  of  song ;  for  this  makes 
it  more  obvious.  In  perceving  a  prolonged  note,  exclusive  of  any 
peculiarity  of  stres,  time,  or  intonation,  it  is  not  easy  to  distinguish 
voices,  that  widely  difer  when  heard  under  the  mingling  modes 
of  speech,  in  only  a  single  sentence.  Of  the  speaking  voices  of  a 
thousand  persons,  each  would  be  distinguishable,  by  its  peculiar 
manner  of  using  the  various  permuted  forms  of  pitch,  time,  and 
stress.  If  the  same  voices  were  severaly  to  be  indicated  by  a  single 
prolonged  note  of  song,  the  diferences  in  vocalit}^  might  be  reduced 
to  a  few  classes.  There  would  be  forte  and  piano  voices  heard 
among  them,  shrill  and  hoarse,  clear,  aspirated,  harsh,  full,  meager, 
dull,  and  sub-sonorous :  and  to  these  a  few  others  might  be  added. 
Yet  even  these  would,  in  some  cases,  be  perceptible  only  to  a  cul- 
tivated ear ;  and  of  the  whole  tliousand,  above  suposed,  perhaps 
not  more  than  twenty  clases  of  vocality,  as  subjects  of  recognition 
could  be  found,  to  constitute  twenty  diferent  kinds. 

Of  the  Orotund  as  a  kind  of  voice,  we  spoke  in  a  former  sec- 
tion ;  and  there  described  the  means  by  which  the  fulnes,  power, 
and  graver  character  of  this  voice  may  be  atuincd.  It  miglit  per- 
haps asist  the  lieader  in  using  the  proper  moans  for  acquiring  the 


THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION.  495 

orotund,  to  know,  that  the  vocality  in  this  case,  is  apt  to  change 
into  wliat  we  formerly  caled  the  basso-falsetej  producing  that 
'  double-lung'  kind  of  speech,  of  mingled  bass  and  treble. 

Of  Practice  in  Rapidity  of  Speech.  Extreme  rapidity  of  speech 
may  be  employed  for  ataining  comand  over  the  voice.  The  difi- 
culty,  of  making  transitions  from  one  position  of  the  organs  of 
articulation  to  another,  requires  an  exertion  which  tends  to  increase 
their  strength  and  activity ;  and  this  enables  them  to  execute  the 
usual  time  of  speech,  without  hesitation.  I  would  recomend  the 
utmost  possible  precipitancy  of  uterance ;  taking  care  not  to  outrun 
the  complete  articulation  of  every  element ;  and  this  makes  it  ad- 
visable to  set  the  leson  on  some  discourse,  long  fixed  in  the  mem- 
ory, that  no  embarasment  may  arise  from  the  distracting  efort  of 
recolection. 

There  is  not  much  advantage  to  be  derived  from  elementary 
practice  on  Aspiration,  the  Emphatic  vocule,  and  Gutural  vibra- 
tion. The  exact  and  forcible  execution  of  these  functions,  does 
not  require  the  exclusive  atention,  directed  by  the  rudimental  sys- 
tem of  practice ;  nor  is  anything  to  be  efected  thereby,  that  may 
not  perhaps,  for  all  practical  and  tasteful  purposes,  be  acomplished 
in  the  current  of  discourse. 


This  is  a  brief  enumeration  of  the  articulative,  the  thotive, 
and  the  expresive  constituents  of  the  whole  asemblage  of  speech. 
An  interesting  inquiry  isj  whether  we  should  aim  to  acquire  a  full 
power  over  these  constituents,  by  exercising  the  voice  on  their 
combinations,  in  curent  discourse,  or  by  separate  and  repeated 
practice  on  their  individual  forms.* 

*  Perhaps  the  analogy  would  be  too  remote,  to  draw  an  example  of  the 
elementary  and  synthetic  method  of  instruction,  from  the  gradual  process  of 
infant  speech.  But  I  cannot,  while  the  subject  is  before  me,  avoid  a  few 
remarks,  on  what  apears  to  be  the  order  of  that  proces. 

Altho  we  should  reject  every  fictional  date,  and  they  are  all  fictional:;  for 
the  origin  of  language;  and  every  suposition  of  one  or  of  many  parts  of  the 
earth  as  well  as  of  the  maner,  in  which  it  did  begins  still  the  sucesion  in  the 
instinctive  eforts  of  present  infant  speech  is  freely  open  to  investigation. 

In  a  Note  to  our  section  on  Time,  there  is  a  pasing  question^  Whether  the 


496  TPIE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION. 

It  is  needles  to  oifer  arguments  in  favor  of  an  elementary 
didactic  system  to  those,  who,  from  experience  in  ace^uiring  the 

abrupt  elements  were  not  prompted  by  sudden  instinctive  impulses,  at  that 
almost  inconceivable  event,  the  beginning  of  speech.  Since  the  date  of  our 
fourth  edition  in  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-live,  I  have  read  in  the  Introduc- 
tion to  Mr.  Charles  Eichardson's  Etymological  Dictionary,  the  clear  exempli- 
fication of  his  analyticaly  tracing  many  of  the  full-formed  words  of  cultivated 
language,  to  roots  of  a  primary  meaning  in  the  individual  elements  :  and  not- 
withstanding the  philological  Ethnologist,  and  the  writers  on  the  Mind  have 
not  had  the  curiosity  or  time,  to  learn  how  far  our  history  of  the  voice  might 
assist  their  researches,  I  will  still  endeavor  to  draw  their  attention,  by  aply- 
ing  some  of  the  principles  of  nature  to  the  present  fashionable  inquiry  into 
the  origin  and  language  of  man. 

It  is  known,  that  in  the  ful-established  system  of  the  vocal  signs,  the  states 
of  mind  variously  emjiloy  the  modes  of  vocality,  force,  time,  abruptness  and 
intonation ;  and  that  the  first  audible  eforts  of  infant-expresion  are  purely 
vowel  sounds,  under  the  forms  of  cry,  scream,  and  of  fainter  vocalities  called 
humming  and  cooing;  together  with  a  varied  time,  force,  and  intonation  of 
these  sounds,  and  even  of  their  suden  break  into  abruptnes.  These  vowel 
signs,  as  well  as  we  observe,  denote  the  first  perception  of  pleasure  or  pain  or 
of  physical  wants.  So  far  then,  these  individual  elements  have  a  meaning, 
and  are  the  real  and  simple  roots  of  language,  in  the  signs  of  infant  perception^ 
for  we  cannot  give  the  then  state  of  mind  the  name  of  thot  or  pasion.  The 
consonants  next  folow,  in  the  progres  of  speech  ;  and  still  to  found  the  origin 
of  language  in  nature,  certain  instinctive  muscular  functions  prepare  the  vo- 
cal mechanism  for  the  production  of  these  elements.  The  early  act  of  draw- 
ing nourishment  strongly  exercises  the  muscles  that  close  and  open  the  lips ; 
and  furnishes  the  organic  means,  which  with  the  acompaniment  of  vocality, 
or  aspiration^  already  prepared  by  instinctive  efort^  produce  in  the  former 
case,  the  elements  B,  M,  and  V,  and  in  the  latter,  F,  and  P.  In  the  same 
act  the  aplication  of  the  tongue  to  the  palate,  and  to  the  uper  and  the  lower 
gums,  constitutes  the  mechanism,  that  with  vocality,  or  with  aspiration, 
severaly  forms  G,  K,  D,  T,  N,  R,  2%-in,  and  Th-an. 

The  next  instinctive-elemental  and  significant  sign  would  perhaps  be  the 
incipient  tremor  on  the  interval  of  the  tone  or  second,  or  wider  interval,  for 
the  expresion  of  infantile  satisfaction ;  and  sobing,  with  the  tremor  on  the 
semitone  for  distres.  Coughing  would  early  give  a  comand  over  abruptnes, 
and  prepare  for  the  radical  stres,  and  distinct  articulation  of  perfect  speech. 
We  do  not  asunie  that  single  consonants  are  at  first,  mental  signs;  nor  after- 
wards, except  in  the  expresive  asj)irations  of  s,  and  h ;  and  as  it  would  bo 
steping  aside  from  the  caution  of  j)hilosophy  to  supose,  that  in  some  infantile 
eforts  they  may  be  so,  wo  leave  this  subject  for  those  who  think  it  deserves 
stricter  investigation.  The  instinctive  vowels  with  their  intonations  are  the 
first  signs  of  the  pleasures,  pains,  and  wants  of  the  child  :  and  observation 
teaclies^  tliey  denote  these  perceptions,  as  certainly  as  they  can  be  denoted  by 
the  full-formed  words  of  conventional  language. 


THE    MEANS    OF    INSTRUCTIOX    IX    ELOCUTION.  497 

sciences,  have  formed  for  themselves  economical  and  efective  plans 
of  study.  Let  all  others  be  toldj  that  one,  and  perhaps  the  only- 
cause  why  elocutionists  have  never  employed  such  a  system,  is, 
that  they  have  overlooked  the  analytic  means  of  inquiry  into  the 
subject  of  vocal  expresion ;  and  have  therefore  wanted  both  the 
knowledge  and  nomenclature  for  an  elementary  method  of  instruc- 
tion. Science  and  art  have  too  many  proofs  of  the  suces  of  this 
rudimental  method,  to  alow  us  to  supose,  the  same  means  would 
not  have  been  adopted  in  elocution,  if  they  had  been  known  to  the 
master. 

Xot  to  cite  instances  from  those  graver  studies  which  procede 
by  the  synthetic  steps  of  elementary  principles ;  and  with  no  in- 
tention to  shame  the  'genius'  of  an  elocutionist  and  his  gramar  of 
imitation,  let  us  go  to  the  Ring,  and  see  the  Science  of  muscular 
atack  and  defense,  an  over-match  for  the  best  eforts  of  strength 
and  pasion,  when  undirected  by  gymnastic  skill.  The  'Fancy' 
have  realy  made  no  slang-like  or  degrading  aplication  of  the  word. 
Science,  as  we  usefuly  regard  it,  does  no  more  than  lay-down  for 
art,  those  general  principles,  and  eficacious  rules  which  sagacity 
has  drawn  from  observation  and  trial :  and  tho  it  may  not  always 
enoble  the  subject  it  touches,  it  does  keep  from  it,  that  char- 
acteristic of  brutal  it}"  j  the  instinctive  execution  of  what,  in  its 
causes  and  efects,  is  not  perceved  by  the  agent.  Yes,  even  the 
Pugilistic  Art,  low  in  purpose  yet  skilful  as  it  is,  has  for  the 

There  is  a  further  adition  to  primary  speech,  -when  the  consonants  are 
acidentaly  combined  with  vowels,  into  the  sylabic  impulse ;  as  in  Ap  and 
Am,  or  reversely,  Pa  and  Ma.  The  sense  of  hearing  then  becomes  observ- 
ant: imitation  folows,  and  monosylabic  language  with  its  capacity  for  endles 
combination  into  words  of  varied  extent  begins. 

It  may  therefore  seem,  that  by  Mr.  Richardson's  observations,  the  ultimate 
roots  of  languages  are  the  significant  elements.  Under  this  view,  the  roots  of 
all  languages  must  have  a  comon  origin  ;  displaying  the  unity  of  nature,  not 
only  in  the  prevalence  of  the  same  principles  of  articulation  and  of  vocal  ex- 
presion, in  every  age  and  nation,  as  we  have  after  close  analysis,  represented 
itj  but  in  the  origin  of  that  articulation,  and  expresion,  in  whatever  part  or 
parts  of  the  earthy  or  in  whatever  age  or  ages  it  may  once  or  oftener,  have 
ocured.  Should  future  observation  confirm  Mr.  Richardson's  view,  and  the 
few  remarks  we  have  aded  to  it,  it  will  be  learned,  that  the  five  modes  of  the 
voice,  which  combine  to  make  the  vast  variety  of  mature  and  expresive  lan- 
guage;!  are  found  in  limited  use,  to  constitute  what  on  like  principle  we  may 
call  the  incipient  expresion  of  infant  wants,  and  pleasure  or  pain. 


498  THE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTION   IN   ELOCUTION. 

time,  outstriped  the  philosophic  eforts  of  Elocution ;  and  claimed 
for  its  method  and  precepts,  the  justifiable  name  of  Science.  And 
beleve  me,  Readerj  the  elementary  training  in  its  positions  and 
motions,  caries  not  more  superiority  over  the  untaught  arm,  than 
the  definite  rules  of  elocution,  founded  on  a  knowledge  of  the 
constituents  of  the  voice,  will  have  over  the  best  spontaneous 
achievements  of  pasion. 

Let  me  not  be  mistaken  on  this  point.  Altho  I  do  not  say,  the 
method  of  instruction  here  proposed,  can  create  the  esential  powers 
of  a  speakerj  futurity  will  probably  show,  that  some  such  system 
alone  can  direct,  enlarge,  and  perfect  them.  ^Passion/  says  a 
writer,  'knows  more  than  art.'  It  may,  in  its  own  way,  know 
more  than  the  Old  Elocutionary  art ;  but  the  Art  of  Science,  so  to 
speak,  in  its  own  way,  like  prudence  in  human  afairs,  sometimes 
knows  beter  than  passion.  A  display  of  the  pasions  in  speech,  is 
not  always  adresed  to  persons  under  the  sympathetic  influence  of 
those  pasions.  When  it  is,  or  when  at  moments,  the  speaker  can 
raise  that  sympathy,  and  pasion  becomes  the  selfish  party-Tyrant 
of  the  mind,  all  is  right,  however  wrong,  that  pasion  does.  When 
pasion  is  no  longer  the  despot  either  of  words  or  Mall,  and  we  are 
caled  upon  to  make  some  proper  use  of  its  active  perception,  with- 
out its  waywardnes  and  partizan  exceses,  such  comparisons  arise 
between  our  own  state,  on  ocasions  of  excitement,  and  what  we 
perceve  in  othersj  that  we  are  obliged  to  call  upon  observation 
and  taste  for  some  educational  rule,  of  Things  as  they  Should  bej  to 
settle  an  uncertainty  of  opinion.  Pasion  as  we  know  it,  is  only 
the  Enacting  of  a  certain  character  of  expresion ;  and  being  with 
none,  except  fools  and  madmen,  an  Outlaw  of  the  jNIind,  is  still 
amenable  to  its  purposed  and  directive,  the  excited  authority.  We 
need  not  go  far,  for  the  true  history  of  what  is  caled  the  Natural 
Maner  in  Speech,  prompted  by  spontaneous  and  uneducated  pasion ; 
for  pasion  is  a  wise  instinct  of  nature,  but  is  always  pervertal,  if 
never  improvingly  taut.  The  everyday  vulgar  triumphs  of  popu- 
lar eloquence,  in  which  the  demagogue,  and  the  sectary,  load  away 
an  audience,  eager  to  pursue  the  same  selfish  schemes  of  profit,  or 
vanity,  or  fanatical  delusion,  are  ]>roof  of  what  this  oratorical  sym- 
pathy is ;  and  what  a  wild  and  artful  pasion  alone  can  sometimes 
do,  without  the  aid  of  truth,  or  honesty  or  taste :  for  in  these  a;^  in 


THE   MEANS   OF   INSTEUCTION   IX   ELOCUTION.  499 

other  popular  relations,  the  more  an  orator  influences  the  pasions 
of  others,  the  more  those  pasions  make  a  slave  of  himself. 

We  look  for  no  more,  from  a  well  devised  practical  system  of 
elocution,  than  Ave  are  every  day  receving  from  established  arts. 
All  men  speak  and  'reason,'  in  the  comon  way,  for  these  acts 
are  as  natural  as  pasion ;  but  the  arts  of  gramar,  rhetoric,  and 
thinking  teach  us  to  do  these  things  in  the  best  raaner,  or  rather, 
doing  them  in  the  best  maner  is  signified  by  the  name  of  these 
arts. 

The  subject  of  elementary  instruction  may  be  otherwise  re- 
garded. The  human  muscles  are,  at  the  daily  call  of  exercise, 
obedient  to  the  will.  There  is  scarcely  a  boy  of  physical  activity 
or  enterprise,  who  on  seeing  a  circus-rider,  does  not  desire,  in 
some  way  to  imitate  him;  to  catch  and  keep  the  center  of  gravity 
thru  the  varieties  of  balance  and  motion.  Yet  this  will  not  pre- 
vent failure  in  his  first  atempts,  however  close  the  conection  be- 
tween his  will  and  his  muscles  may  be.  For  without  trial,  he 
knows  imperfectly  what  is  to  be  done;  and  even  with  that  knowl- 
edge, is  unable,  without  long  practice,  to  efect  it.  Many  persons, 
with  both  thot  and  pasion,  have  a  free  comand  of  the  voice,  on  the 
comon  ocasions  of  life,  who  yet  uterly  fail,  when  they  atempt  to 
imitate  the  varied  power  of  the  habitual  speaker.  When  the 
voice  is  prepared  by  elementary  practice^  thots  and  pasions  find 
the  confirmed  and  pliant  means,  ready  to  efect  a  satisfactory  and 
elegant  acomplishment  of  their  purposes. 

The  organs  of  speech  are  capable  of  a  certain  range  of  exertion; 
and  to  fulfil  all  the  demands  of  a  finished  elocution,  they  should 
be  caried  to  the  extent  of  that  capability.  Actors  with  both 
strong  and  delicate  perceptions,  and  who  earnestly  expres  them  in 
speech,  are  always  aproximating  toward  this  power  in  the  voice ; 
and  with  no  more  than  the  asistance  of  a  habitual  exercise  which 
enlarges  their  instinct,  do  in  time,  acquire  a  comand  over  the  forms 
and  degrees  of  pitch,  and  stres,  and  time;  without  the  Actor 
himself  being  at  all  aware  of  the  how,  and  the  what,  of  his  vocal 
atainments,  or  having  perhaps,  one  inteligent,  or  inteligible  per- 
ception of  the  ways,  means,  and  efects  of  their  aplication.  The 
elementary  method  of  instruction  here  proposed,  being  founded  on 
the  analysis  of  speechj  at  once  points  out  to  the  Actor  what  is  to 


500  THE   MEANS   OF   INSTEUCTIOX   IX   ELOCUTION. 

be  desired  and  atained ;  and  how  every  vocal  purpose  of  thot,  and 
pasion  should  be  fulfiled. 

It  was  not  until  long  after  the  invention  of  the  Bow  for  the 
gliding  touch  of  chorded  instruments,  that  its  use  was  subjected 
to  acurate  atention.  A  few  belonging  to  that  class  of  mankind 
who  thru  precise  and  enlarged  observation,  with  its  steady  aim, 
find  out  for  themselves,  the  best  way  to  efect  their  object,  may 
have  exhibited  rare  instances  of  skill  in  its  management.  As  soon 
however  as  the  celebrated  Tartini  had  made  an  analysis  of  their 
dexterity,  the  master  was  able  to  point  out  to  the  pupil  the  mus- 
cular sleight  of  wrist  and  arm  which  its  handling  requires ;  their 
combined  and  sucesive  motions;  together  with  that  full  perception 
of  the  will  as  it  seems,  present  in  the  muscle,  which  insures  unde- 
viating  steadines  in  every  sweep,  and  gives  the  power  of  a  sort  of 
voluntary  spasm  for  the  purpose  of  a  momentary  touch.  When 
these  points  were  ascertained,  instruction  began  to  adopt  the  econ- 
omy of  elementary  rules ;  and  confidence,  rapidit}',  precision, 
smooth  nes,  and  variety  of  execution,  became  comon  acomplish- 
ments  in  the  art  of  Bowing. 

When  an  atempt  is  made  to  teach  an  art,  without  comencing 
with  its  simple  elements,  combinations  of  elements  pass  with  the 
pupil  for  the  elements  themselves,  and  holding  them  to  be  almost 
infinite,  he  abandons  his  hopeles  task.  An  education  by  the 
method  we  here  recomend,  reverses  this  disheartening  duty.  It 
reduces  the  seeming  infinity  to  computable  numbers ;  and  I  have 
suposedj  one  of  the  first  coments  on  the  foregoing  analysis,  may 
refer  to  the  unexpected  simplicity  of  means,  employed  to  produce 
the  unbounded  permutations  of  speech.  Nay,  this  esay  itself 
will  fare  beter  than  other  similar  eforts  in  science,  if  some  of  the 
perishing  criticism  of  the  day  should  not  find  suficient  motive 
with  itself,  for  overlooking  the  dificulty,  of  penetrating  the  mys- 
terious thicket  of  speech,  and  of  tracing  its  interwoven  branches  to 
their  palpable  roots,  by  being  told  how  few  and  how  acessible  they 
arc. 

In  our  proposed  method  of  instruction,  we  have  in  view  tlie 
strictest  j)r()priety,  and  the  highest  finish  of  the  voice.  An  ordi- 
nary and  even  vicious  use  of  Spcecii,  as  we  all  know,  may  serve 
for  Buying  and  Selling,  either  in  the  common  course  of  Trade,  or 


THE    MEAXS   OF    INSTRUCTION    IN    ELOCUTION.  501 

in  Election-Frauds,  and  Legislative  Bribery.  When  the  powers 
and  beauties  of  the  voice  are  the  subject  of  reflection  and  taste,  it 
is  necesary  to  employ  the  most  comprehensive  and  precise  means 
for  its  cultivation.  It  would  be  posible,  even  without  regard  to 
the  alphabet,  to  teach  a  savage  to  read,  by  directing  him,  word 
by  word,  to  folow  a  master.  And  it  has  been  proposed  to  teach 
elocution,  by  a  similar  process  of  imitative  instruction.  But  the 
atentive  Reader  must  now  know  with  me,  and  others  may  know 
anions:  themselves  hereafter,  that  the  analvsis  of  words  into  their 
alphabetic  elements,  and  the  rudimental  method  of  teaching  insti- 
tuted thereupon,  do  not  give  more  facility,  in  the  discriminations 
of  the  eye  on  a  written  page,  than  the  means  here  proposed  will 
aford  to  the  student  of  elocution,  who  wishes  to  excel  in  all  the 
useful  and  elegant  purposes  of  speech.  The  master  having  now  at 
comand  a  knowledge  of  the  vocal  constituentsj  which  already  fore- 
tels,  and  by  future  aplication  will  furnish  a  precise  and  universal 
system  of  music  in  speechj  let  him  adopt  that  elementary  method 
of  instruction  which  has  made  another  music  familiar  to  the  minds 
of  children,  and  spread  its  refined  and  heart-felt  pleasure  thruout 
the  civilized  world. 

To  begin  this  elementary,  and  only  sucesful  method  of  teaching 
the  otherwise  unteachable  esthetic  art  of  speechj  let  the  master  and 
his  pupil,  or  his  whole  school,  meet  at  first,  without  their  little  text- 
books ;  the  master  having  already  tlie  great  Book  of  Nature  by 
heart.  Let  the  master  then  exemplify  the  five  constituent  modes 
of  the  voice ;  the  formation  of  the  musical  scale,  with  the  expla- 
nation of  its  divisions  and  uses ;  the  four  scales  of  speech ;  the 
concrete  and  discrete  pitch  in  all  its  forms ;  the  graceful  gliding 
of  the  vanish,  with  the  efect  of  the  second  and  of  other  intervals. 
Let  him  make  the  pupil  sensible  of  the  diference  of  these  inter- 
vals by  separate  and  by  contrasted  uterance ;  of  the  peculiarities  of 
a  rising  and  of  a  faling  movement ;  of  the  waves ;  of  the  diatonic, 
and  the  chromatic  melodies  ;  of  the  cadences ;  and  of  the  streses ; 
making  the  lesons  an  exemplification  of  every  constituent  function 
of  speech.  Let  the  pupil  practice  all  this  v/hen  he  retires ;  and 
on  returning,  let  it  not  be  to  hear  his  master  read,  and  vainly  try 
to  imitate  himj  but  to  repeat  his  elementary  task,  thro  all  the 
available  modes,  forms,  and  varieties  of  the  voice.     When  he  is 


502  THE   MEANS   OF   INSTRUCTION   IX   ELOCUTION. 

completely  familiar  with  these  rudiments,  then  and  not  before,  let 
him  begin  to  read. 

Should  high  acomplishment  in  elocution  be  an  object  of  am- 
bition, the  system  of  instruction  ofered  in  this  section,  may  until 
a  better  method  is  proposed,  furnish  the  easiest  and  shortest  means 
for  suces. 

With  all  these  rules  however,  the  best  contrived  scheme  will  be 
of  little  avail,  without  the  utmost  zeal  and  perseverance  on  the 
part  of  the  learner.  It  is  an  impressive  saying  by  an  elegant 
'genius'  of  the  Augustan  age,  who  drew  his  maxim  from  the 
Greek  Tragedy,  and  ilustrated  it  by  his  own  life  and  fame,  that 
*  nothing  is  given  to  mortals  without  indefatigable  labor ;'  meaningj 
that  works  of  surpasing  merit,  and  suposed  to  procede  from  a  pe- 
culiar endowment  by  Heaven,  are  in  reality,  the  product  of  hard 
and  unremiting  industry. 

It  is  pitiable  to  witnes  the  hopes  and  conceits  of  ambition,  when 
unasisted  by  its  required  exertions.  The  art  of  reading-well  is  an 
acomplishmentj  all  desire  to  possess,  many  think  they  have  already, 
and  a  few  undertake  to  acquire.  These,  beleving  their  power  is 
altogether  in  their  '  Genius,'  are,  after  a  few  lessons  from  an  Elo- 
cutionist, disapointed  at  not  becoming  themselves  at  once  masters 
of  the  art;  and  with  the  restles  vanity  of  their  belief,  abandon 
the  study,  for  some  new  subject  of  trial  and  failure.  Such  cases 
of  infirmity  result  in  part  from  the  wavering  character  of  the 
human  Tribe ;  but  chiefly,  from  defects  in  the  usual  course  of 
instruction.  Go  to  some,  may  we  say  all  of  our  Colleges  and 
Universities,  and  observe  how  the  art  of  speaking,  is  not  taught 
there.  See  a  boy  of  but  fifteen  years,  with  no  want  of  youthful 
difidence,  and  not  without  a  craving  desire  to  learnj  sent  upon  a 
Stage,  pale  and  choking  with  aprehension;  being  forced  into  an 
atempt  to  do  that,  without  instruction,  which  he  came  purposely 
to  learn;  and  furnishing  amusement  to  his  classmates,  by  a  pardon- 
able awkwardnes,  that  should  be  punished,  in  the  person  of  his 
pretending  but  neglectful  preceptor,  with  little  less  tlian  scourg- 
ing. Then  visit  a  Conservatorio  of  nnisic;  observe  there,  the 
elementary  outset,  tlie  orderly  task,  the  masterly  discii)line,  the 
unwearied  superintendence,  and  the  incesant  toil  to  reach  the  utmost 
acomj)lishment  in  the  Singing-Voice;  and  afterwards  do  not  be 


THE    MEAXS   OF   INSTRUCTION   IN    ELOCUTION.  503 

surprised  that  the  pulpit,  the  senate,  the  bar,  and  the  cliair  of 
medical  profesorship,  are  filed  Avith  such  abominable  drawlcrs, 
mouthers,  mumblers,  cluterers,  squeakers,  chanters,  and  mongers 
in  monotony  :  nor  that  the  schools  of  Singing  are  constantly  send- 
ing abroad  those  great  instances  of  vocal  wonder,  Avho  triumph 
along  the  crowded  resorts  of  the  world;  who  contribute  to  the 
halls  of  fashion  and  wealth,  their  most  refined  source  of  gratifica- 
tion ;  who  sometimes  quel  the  pride  of  rank,  by  a  momentary 
sensation  of  envy ;  and  who  draw  forth  the  admiration,  and  receve 
the  crowning  aplause  of  the  Prince  and  the  Stage.* 

*  It  is  remarkable  of  the  Science  of  the  Voice,  that  the  sucessful  cultiva- 
tion of  the  department  of  Song,  thru  the  close  and  beautiful  analysis  of  mel- 
ody, and  harmony,  should  never  have  extended  the  ambiticgi  of  its  inquiry 
and  suces,  into  the  more  important,  and  equaly  esthetic  department  of  speech. 

Having,  after  a  long  and  active  search,  colected  quite  a  library  of  good, 
bad,  and  indiflerent  works  on  elocution  ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Steele, 
Mr.  Odel,  and  Mr.  "Walker,  finding  them  all,  both  ancient  and  modern,  to  be 
composed  of  the  same  comon  materials  of  the  art,  aranged  and  detailed  with 
a  varied  ability  :  I  had  some  curiosity  to  know  the  practical  method  of  emi- 
nent Vocal  Institutions.  During  my  residence  in  Paris,  thru  the  winter  of 
eighteen  hundred  and  forty-five — six,  I  sought  by  every  due  efort,  to  obtain 
from  direct,  and  personal  observation,  a  knowledge  of  the  instructive  Course 
of  Declamation  employed  in  the  Conservatorio,  I  learned  however,  from  a 
friend  of  some  influence  in  this  matter,  that  by  a  general  rule,  admision  could 
not  be  obtained. 

Upon  information  derived  from  a  Vocalist,  at  that  time  under  tuition,  for 
his  apearance  in  the  Opera:;  who  described  to  me,  the  directive,  and  examplary 
means  of  the  master,  the  imitative  practice  of  the  pupil,  and  the  detailed 
rotine  of  the  task:;  I  was  led  to  conclude^  they  had  no  knowledge,  out  of  the 
comon  way,  on  the  construction,  and  intonative  meaning,  either  of  Declama- 
tion or  Kecitative ;  nor  one  spark  of  a  Philosophy  of  Speech,  to  throw  the 
least  light  of  explanation  upon  them  :  and  tho  the  exclusion  of  visitors,  might 
be  no  deprivation  to  the  studious  observer^  the  duties  of  the  Institution  would 
by  this  precaution,  be  saved  from  the  vexatious  intrusion  of  the  tens  of  thou- 
sands idle,  restles,  and  ennui'd  Sojourners  in  the  great  Metropolis. 

That  the  French,  like  the  rest  of  the  world,  have  not  the  least  perception  of 
a  system  of  the  voice,  founded  on  the  ordination  of  nature,  and  denoting  the 
diferent  states  of  mind  in  thot  and  pasion,  must  apear  from  their  Histrionic 
Elocution.  If  the  Glory,  Wisdom  and  Taste  of  France,  strangely  concen- 
tered, as  it  is  self  asumed  to  be  in  Paris,  should  ever  acknowledge  the  posi- 
bility  of  there  being  any  imperfection  in  its  state;  and  cease  to  think,  it  has 
already  reached  'the  highest  degree  of  civilization  ; '  it  will  perhaps,  perceve 
the  peculiar  and  bombastic  system  of  its  intonation  ;  and  then  atempt  to 
corect  it,  by  some  other  means,  than  that  of  the  rule  of  its  own  exagerated 


504  RYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH. 

SECTION  L. 

Of  the  Rythmus  of  Speech. 

In  the  section  on  Time,  some  alusion  was  made  to  the  subject  of 
Rythmiis.  I  there  described  the  circumstances  under  which  stress 
and  time,  or  as  they  are  otherwise  caled,  acent  and  quantity,  pro- 
duce by  their  alternations  the  agreeable  impresions  of  verse.      I 

and  habitual  expresion.  The  English,  phlegmatic  as  they  are  suposed  to  he, 
are  prone  to  ergploy  an  over-proportion  of  vivid  constituents  in  that  curent 
which  should  be  a  plain  diatonic  melody.  But  the  French,  far  exceding  them 
in  this  use  of  the  wider  intervals  and  waves,  do  not  employ  the  diatonic 
melody,  or  only  ocasionaly,  in  their  oratorical  and  dramatic  speech. 

We  have  learned  how  rarely  the  plain  and  dignified  forms  of  the  second 
and  its  waves  are  heard  even  on  the  English  stage ;  and  that,  without  an  ad- 
justed intermingling  of  the  expresive  and  the  inexpresive  constituents  of 
speech,  no  Actor  can  atain  tragic  distinction,  or  long  maintain  it,  with  an 
audience  of  educated  perception  and  taste.  In  this  improper  use  of  wider 
intervals  and  waves,  the  English,  from  the  construction  of  their  Language, 
have  less  apology  than  the  French,  for  the  exceses  of  their  intonation.  It  is 
well  known,  that  the  acentual  character  of  the  English  language  consists  in  a 
forcible  stres  on  certain  sylables,  with  a  feeble  stres  on  othersj  the  later  being 
more  numerous ;  and  the  diference  in  degree  of  the  streses  being  so  fixed  and 
remarkable,  as  to  furnish  a  rythmus  of  acent  or  quantity  for  the  construction 
of  its  Blank-verse  ;  which  serves  the  further  purpose  of  roleving  the  monotony 
of  its  rhj'me,  by  the  variety  of  a  strong  and  atractive  acent,  sucesively  faling 
on  a  different  syhibic  sound,  and  by  the  cesural  pause,  in  the  course  of  the 
line. 

With  the  French  language  the  case  is  diferent.  It  has  a  perceptible  varia- 
tion, in  the  force  of  its  acents,  and  the  duration  of  its  quantities;  but  not 
suficienlly  marked,  nor  of  such  a  systematic  character,  as  to  make  an  available 
prosodial  meter.  The  French  Epic  and  Dramatic  lines,  for  they  cannot  be 
caled  prosodial  measures,  properly  consist  each  of  twelve  sylables ;  tho  they 
have  sometimes  ten  or  eleven.  Among  them  is  ocasionaly  found,  a  sucesion 
of  acent  and  quantity  resembling  the  various  structures  of  English  verse. 
There  is  an  example  of  our  anapestic  measure,  in  the  first  Cunto  and  second 
line  of  Voltaire's  Ilenriade, 

Et  par  droit  de  conquete  et  par  droit  de  naissancc. 

Alowing  for  the  manor  of  tho  French,  in  jirolonging  their  .sylables,  many 


RYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH.  505 

now  ofer  a  more  formal  acount  of  this  mater,  with  the  design  to 
speak  of  the  Rythmus  of  prose ;  and  to  notice  in  as  few  words  as 

like  corespondencies  to  the  usual  English  measures  may  be  gathered  from 
what  they  call  their  heroic  rhyme. 

But  all  such  cases  are  acidental  in  French  versification,  and  do  not  acord 
with  the  general  character  of  its  iregular  sucesion  :  a  sucesion,  shocking  to 
tlie  English  ear,  and  uterly  without  a  flowing  rythmus  either  as  poetry  or 
prose. 

We  pronounce  the  word  acominodation  with  a  strong  accent  on  the  second 
and  fourth  sylables,  and  a  contrasted  feeble  one,  on  the  third  and  fifth  :  whereas 
the  French,  with  whom  it  has  six  sylables,  as  ac-com-mo-da-ci-on,  make  but  a 
slight  variation  in  the  degree  of  stres  among  them.  Hence,  if  the  word  be 
moderately  caricatured  by  a  full  stres  on  every  sylable,  it  will  resemble  French 
pronunciation.  And  in  general,  to  mimic  that  pronunciation,  in  English 
words,  it  is  only  necesary  to  substitute  de,  for  the;  to  give,  to  the  English  ear 
at  least,  an  afected  prolongation  to  certain  sylables,  and  a  like  degree  of  aoent 
on  all.  It  may  be  perceved  that  the  French  language,  in  its  acent  and  quan- 
tity, does  not  admit  of  Blank-verse ;  as  no  proper  prosodial  meter  can  be  given 
to  its  lines.  Under  this  condition,  instead  of  altogether  rejecting  the  vain 
atempt  at  measure,  and  employing  plain  but  dignified  prose,  in  their  Epic  and 
Dramatic  composition^  they  endeavor  to  suply  the  want  of  a  regular  temporal 
and  acentual  rythmus,  by  the  poor  regularit}-  of  an  equal  number  of  sylables 
in  each  of  their  lines,  and  by  terminating  them  with  rhyme :  and  on  this 
ground  alone  to  raise  the  verbal  structure  of  their  poetry.  May  we  not  there- 
fore admire  the  esthetic  choice  of  the  '  amiable'  Fenelon,  who  tells  the  grace- 
ful and  instructive  story  of  Telemac/ius,  in  the  unembarassed  dignity  of  Prose, 
by  excluding  the  puerile  counting  of  sj-lables,  and  chime  of  words,  in  French 
heroic  versification  ? 

I  would  submisively  propose  as  a  subject  of  future  inquiry  among  the  French, 
whoj  whenever  they  look  at  themselves,  by  the  light  of  an  analytic  speech, 
will  be  the  best  judges  in  the  case^  whether  this  peculiar  construction  led  to 
their  use  of  the  florid  and  exagerated  form  of  their  Histrionic  intonation  :  and 
whether,  in  the  desire  to  withdraw  the  ear  from  the  paling  efect  of  the  equal 
count  of  sylables  ;  and  to  lesen  the  monotony  of  the  rhymes,  they  did  not 
purposely  endeavor  to  produce,  thruout  the  curent,  and  particularly  at  the 
close  of  jiroximate  lines,  a  contrast  of  striking  intervals  and  waves;  such  as 
that  of  a  rising  interval,  or  an  indirect  wave,  at  the  end  of  one  line,  and  a 
reverse  movement  on  the  next;  without  those  intonations  having  the  least 
regard  to  a  natural  propriety  of  expresion.  '  For  we  must  remember;;  the 
monotony  of  French  rhymej  which  under  English  law  is  not  always  canonical^ 
and  of  its  equal  number  of  sylables,  is  not  i-elevable  by  the  atractive  rythmus, 
of  the  English  maner  of  acentual  or  temporal  measure.  And  finaly,  whether 
by  this  atempt  to  avoid  monotony,  they  did  not  substitute,  that  equaiy  strik- 

t       ing  and  more  eroneous  monotony,  which  is  always  produced  by  impresive 

I,       intervals  improperly  aplied. 

■  This  is  the  view,  which  our  '  Philosophy'  of  speech  ofers  of  the  universal 

I  33 

m 


506  EYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH. 

posible,  the  originul  and  practical  system  of  Mr.  Steele,  on  the 
subject  of  acentuation  and  pause  :  this  being  among  the  first  results, 
in  modern  times,  of  an  inquiry  into  the  philosophy  of  spoken 
language. 

Speech  would  not  be  suited  to  the  interchange  of  thot  and 
pasion,  if  every  sylable  of  every  word  were  sucesively  and  equaly 
acented.  For  by  this  uniform  acentuation,  it  would  want  that 
vocal  light  and  shade,  and  that  pronounced  relief,  required  for  a 
distinct  picture  of  mental  and  audible  perception j  consequently 
thots  would  not  be  easily  distinguished  from  each  other ;  and 
speech  would  be  inconveniently  slow.  Whether  this  slownes 
would  result  from  the  hiatus,  in  pasing  from  one  acent  to  another, 
each  with  a  full  radical  upon  it,  we  need  not  here  inquire.  It  is 
enuf  to  know,  that  if  the  folowing,  or  any  other  sentence  be  read 
with  every  sylable  acented,  the  delay  will  be  unavoidable. 

The  Eight  of  suf-frage  in  a  Ke-pub-lic,  will,  thru  the  suc-es-ive 
Oli-gar-chy  of  weak  and  am-bi-tioas  Knaves,  al-ways  end  in  the  Wrongs 
of  the  Peo-ple. 

Although  this  political  axiom  should  be  deliberately  read  as  well 
as  closely  laid  to  heart ;  still,  with  an  impresive  acent  on  every 
sylable,  the  pronunciation  of  this  eternal  truth  would  far  excede 
in  time,  even  what  its  solemn  uterance  deserves.  Let  us  take 
another  example,  to  be  read  with  forcible  and  proximate  acent. 

The  dif-er-ence  be-twoen  the  two  great  An-tag-o-nists  a-niong  na- 
tions, is  this  :    In   a  Des-pot-ism,  the  gov-ern-mcnt  preys  up-on  the  peo- 

prevalence  of  the  remarkable  intonation  in  French  Tragedy  :  a  philosophy, 
drawn  from  the  ordination  of  nature  in  the  human  voice,  and  that  should 
make  no  ulowance  for  national  self-deception,  and  its  self-solacing  vanity. 
Be  this  view  admisible  or  not,  my  observation  ventures  to  afirm  this  exoesive 
use  of  florid  intervals,  in  all  the  French  Tragedians  I  have  heard,  including 
an  Actress  of  the  day,  whom  the  Critics  of  Paris,  with  unbounded  eulogy, 
but  without  the  least  vocal  discrimination,  present  to  the  world  as  the  para- 
gon of  Tragic  Art.  I  say  nothing  here,  of  gesture  and  other  acom])animent3 
of  this  vivid  and  false  intonation  :  nor  of  Comedy  and  Vaudeville,  which  tho 
employing  a  somewhat  oxagerated  form  of  coloquial  speech  are  altogether 
most  admirable. 

Could  I  have  had  tho  oiwrtunity  of  personaly  observing  the  method  of 
teaching  Declamation  in  the  Conservatorio,  I  might  have  spoken  with  more 
fulnes,  and  acuracy  on  this  subject. 


RYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH.  507 

pie.  In  a  De-moc-ra-cy,  the  peo-ple  prey  up-on  the  gov-orn-ment.  The 
life-blood  is  drawn  a-like  by  each.  -  In  one  case  by  the  Ea-gle ;  in  the 
oth-er  by  the  Hats. 

It  is  from  this  alternation  of  strong  and  weak  acent,  with  the 
variations  of  long  and  short  quantity,  that  the  graceful  flow  of 
style,  and  much  of  the  power  and  beauty  of  speech  are  derived. 

This  being  the  character  of  the  acentual  function,  Mr.  Steele, 
by  an  original  view  of  the  relations  between  acent,  quantity,  and 
pause,  made  divisions  of  the  line  of  speech,  analogous  to  the 
Bars  of  musical  notation.  These  may  be  caled  Acentual  Sec- 
tions.* 

AVe  will  atempt  to  explain  part  of  the  system  of  Mr.  Steele, 
by  the  folowing  sentence ;  using  italics  in  place  of  his  symbol 
for  the  acented  sylable;  the  numeral  seven  for  the  pause;  and 
marking  the  sections,  merely  for  reference. 

12  3  4  5  6 

I    7   In  the  |  sec ond  |  cent u-ry  |  7   of  the  |  christ ian  |  e ra   | 

7  8  9  10  11  12 

I    7       the  I  em j)ire  of  |  Rome  |  7  com-pre  |  hend ed  the  \fair est    | 

13  14  15  16  17  18 

I   part  of  the    |  earth   7  |  7   and  the  [  most   7  |  civ i-lized  |  2^or tion   | 

19  20 

I    7   of  man  |  kind.  \ 

Mr.  Steele  first  asumes  the  time  of  the  several  bars  to  be  equal, 
like  that  of  the  bars  in  music;  the  term  bar,  meaning,  not  the 
vertical  lines,  but  the  space  between  them.  He  next  subdivides  a 
sentence  into  bars,  each  of  equal  time ;  that  time  consisting,  either 
altogether  of  verbal  sound,  or  of  a  verbal  sound  and  of  a  silent 
time  or  pause.  Suposing  then  a  bar,  or  acentual  section,  to  con- 
tain, in  its  verbal  time,  one,  and  never  more  than  one,  acented 

*  The  Greeic  Rhetoricians  gave  the  name  of  Prosodial  Feet,  to  certain  ar- 
angements  of  long  and  short  sylablesj  these  being  identical  in  place  however, 
respectively  with  the  acented  and  unacented;  metaphorically  implying  the 
regular  progresion  of  poetical  lines,  by  the  measured  steps  of  quantity  and 
acent.  A  foot  with  its  first  sylable  short  and  its  second  long,  or  its  first 
lightly  and  its  second  strongly  acented,  was  caled  an  Iambus,  as  consume. 
"When  this  order  of  quantity  and  acent  is  reversed,  a  Trochee,  as  morn-ing. 
A  foot  of  three  sylables,  with  the  first  long  and  the  other  two  short,  or  the 
first  strongly  and  the  others  light)}'  acented,  a  Dactyl,  as  grdce-ful-ly.  Mr. 
Steele's  purjiose  was  to  ajily  to  prose-reading,  a  rythmus  founded  on  these 
principles  of  poetic  construction. 


I 


508  EYTHMUS    OF   SPEECH. 

sylable,  or  heavy  Poize,  as  he  calls  it ;  and  one  or  more  unacented, 
which  he  calls  the  light  Poize;  the  begining  of  the  bar  is  always 
ocupied  by  the  heavy  acent,  and  the  end  by  the  light,  or  in  their 
absence,  by  a  respectively  equivalent  silent  time  or  pause.  In  the 
first  bar  of  the  above  example,  there  is  no  hea\y  accent,  for  the 
sentence  begins  with  two  light  sylables,  but  its  time  is  indicated 
by  the  symbol  of  a  silent  pause :  the  two  light  are  set  at  the  end 
of  the  acentual  section.  The  word  second,  in  the  next  bar,  has  a 
heavy  sylable  folowed  by  a  light  one,  and  thus  makes  a  full  and 
audible  time.  In  the  third  bar,  the  word  century  has  a  heavy, 
folowed  by  two  light  sylables.  The  fourth  has  the  same  time  in 
sylable  and  pause,  as  the  first.  The  fifth  and  sixth  are  of  the 
same  construction  as  the  second.  The  seventh  has  one  light  acent, 
and  a  pause  in  place  of  the  heavy.  The  eighth  is  like  the  third. 
The  ninth  and  twentieth  have  each  one  heavy  acent ;  for  each  syla- 
ble being  a  prolongable  quantity,  the  time  may  be  extended  to  an 
equality  with  that  of  the  other  bars.  The  fourteenth  and  six- 
teenth have  each,  like  the  last-named,  a  heavy ;  but  wanting  the 
light,  its  time  is  suplied  by  a  pause :  for  the  short  quantity  of 
these  words  does  not  alow  their  prolongation  to  the  full  time  of  a 
bar.  The  other  bars  are  only  resjjectively,  repetitions  of  those 
already  described.  If  we  supose  so  many  sylables  within  a  bar, 
as  to  require  an  improper  precipitancy  of  uterance,  to  make  the 
time  of  the  sections  equal,  it  becomes  necesary  to  add  a  new  bar, 
for  the  redundant  light  sylables,  and  to  set  them  at  the  end  of  the 
new  bar,  and  the  symbol  of  a  pause,  at  the  begining,  in  place 
of  the  heavy  or  acented  sylable.  In  the  example,  we  might  put 
[  century  of  the  |  into  one  section ;  but  when  the  sentence  is  read 
deliberately,  this  section  is  too  long.  It  is  beter  ordered  in  the 
example,  by  a  subdivision,  and  by  a  pause  in  the  place  of  an 
acented  sylable.  An  imcdiate  sucesion  of  long  quantities  may 
alow  a  change  of  the  rythmus.  In  the  eighth  bar  of  the  example, 
em  lias  the  first  place,  as  the  acented  sylable ;  and  it  may  be  em- 
})haticaly  prolonged  to  the  time  of  an  entire  bar;  butjJiVeis  so 
impresive  by  its  quantity  that  it  also  may  form  the  first  part  of  a 
bar,  and  the  division  may  he;  \  em  |  pire  of  |  Rome  |  .  It  is  the 
same  with  the  seventeenth ;  where  tho  civ  is  the  acented,  lizcd  is 
tlic  longer  sylable,  and  we  may  have  the  divisions;  |  ciu  i  |  lized  |  ; 


RYTHMUS   OF  SPEECH.  509 

the  last  long  sylable,  from  its  quantity  suplying  the  time  of  an 
entire  bar.  With  this  general  explanation,  the  Reader  is  refered 
to  Mr.  Steele's  work,  for  a  more  particular  acount  of  the  svstem. 
Perhaps  I  have  not  properly  marked  the  bars  of  this  sentence. 
My  purpose  however,  being  only  to  ilustratej  others  may  vnih  an 
ear  of  taste,  improve  the  reading  for  themselves.  Yet  it  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  if  this  sentence  is  read  without  its  linear  divisionsj 
the  voice  of  a  good  reader  is  disposed  to  make  its  pauses  in  those 
very  places,  and  of  that  duration,  visibly  indicated  by  the  symbol 
of  the  pause,  both  in  the  light  and  heavy  parts  of  the  bar ;  show- 
ing the  instinct  of  the  voice ;  with  the  powers  of  analysis,  and 
the  originality  of  Mr.  Steele. 

It  will  perhaps  be  asked  herej  What  is  the  meaning  of  these 
divisions?     And  what  useful  purpose  they  serve  in  instruction? 

All  works  on  elocution  before  the  time  of  Mr.  Steele,  recomend 
the  acurate  acentuation  of  words,  and  a  strict  atention  to  their 
separation  at  the  proper  places  for  pausing.  And  altho  Mr. 
Sheridan  gives  particular  examples  of  notation  for  rhetorical  em- 
phasis, and  for  pause,  he  lays-down  no  formal  rule,  to  direct  a 
pupil  on  these  points,  as  Mr.  Steele  has  done,  by  his  divisional 
bars  placed  before  the  heavy  accent.  The  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject in  our  early  schools,  may  be  learned  from  the  maner  in  which 
children  begin  to  read;  for  their  hesitating  uterance,  and  their 
close  atention  to  the  single  word,  lead  them  to  lay  an  equal  stres 
on  every  sylable,  or  at  least  on  every  word.  This  habit  continues 
a  long  time  after  the  eye  has  acquired  a  facility  in  folowing  up  dis- 
course ;  and  in  some  cases  infects  pronunciation  during  subsequent 
life :  as  it  is  not  till  the  tongue  goes  triping,  or  rather  halting,  with 
its  firm  and  its  tender  step  on  words,  that  the  ear  becomes  sensible 
of  the  use  and  beauty  of  acent.  Mr.  Steele's  notation  having  a 
symbol  for  the  degrees  of  stres,  here  marked  by  an  italic  sylable, 
presents  a  visible  analogy  to  the  light  and  hea^^  impresion,  and 
furnishes  a  child  wnth  the  picture  of  his  leson  on  acent,  and  with 
a  monitor  to  his  ear.  I  do  not  sayj  this  object  would  not  be 
ataincd  in  a  degree,  by  employing  the  comon  mark  of  stres  on  all 
acented  sylables :  yet  even  this  is  never  done ;  could  it  have  the 
generality  of  a  precept,  or  be  as  definite  for  elementary  instruc- 
tion, as  the  conspicuous  division  by  bars ;  nor  would  it  include  the 


510  RYTIIMUS    OF    SPEECH. 

indication  of  pause,  together  with  other  points  embraced  by  the 
system  of  Mr.  Steele. 

One  of  the  objects  of  a  scientific  institute  is,  to  point  out  what 
is  necesary  in  an  art,  even  should  it  not  be  able  to  direct  the  exact 
maner  of  executing  it;  and  perhaps  no  one  who  has  atentively 
looked  into  Mr.  Steele's  notation  will  hesitate  to  aknowledgej  it 
has  set  the  subjects  of  acentuation  and  pause  in  an  entirely  new 
light  before  him. 

This  notation  is  founded  on  a  knowledge  of  the  conventional 
acents  of  English  words,  and  tho  it  W'Ould  not  inform  a  child  what 
sylables  are  of  long  quantity,  or  emphatic ;  nor,  where  the  pauses 
are  to  be  placed;  it  will  enable  a  master,  who  knows  how  to  order 
all  these  things  in  speech,  to  furnish  his  scholar  wdtli  a  visible 
ilustration  of  his  task,  and  a  rule  for  subsequent  use.  If  a  boy  is 
taught  by  this  method,  he  acquires  a  habit  of  atention  to  the  sub- 
jects of  acentuation  and  pause,  that  may  be  readily  aplled,  without 
the  notation,  in  ordinary  discourse. 

I  have  gladly  embraced  an  oportunity  to  notice  the  ingenius 
originality  of  Mr.  Steelej  who  was  among  the  first  to  shriek-out  at 
the  incubus  of  ancient  prosody,  which  had  crouched  so  close  on  the 
bosom  of  his  own,  and  of  every  modern  language.  The  rythmical 
portion  of  his  work  while  observati ve,  is  neither  full  nor  systematic ; 
and  his  distinction  of  what  he  calls  Poize,  from  the  efect  of  quan- 
tity and  stres,  apears  to  me  to  be  altogether  notional  and  cloudy. 
Notwithstanding  his  philosophic  turn  for  realy  hearing  speech,  he 
seems,  on  the  subject  of  his  light  and  heavy  Poize,  to  have  falen 
almost  into  the  mystfcism  of  '  Occult  causes.'  Still  I  have  taken 
a  short  and  perhaps  unsatisfactory  view  of  this  part  of  his  esay,  as 
prefatory  to  the  few  folowing  remarks  on  the  subject  of  rytlimus.* 

The  Rytlimus  of  language  is  produced  by  a  certain  order  of 
acent,  quantity,  and  pause.  Or  in  other  words,  a  certiiin  sucesion 
of  sylables,  having  diferent  degrees  of  stres,  or  of  quantity ;  and 
this  sucesion  being  divided  into  portions  by  pauses,  constitutes  the 

*  Mr.  Steele  first  published  his  views,  under  tho  title  cited  in  the  introduc- 
tion to  this  esay.  A  few  years  afterwards  he  gave  a  second  edition  of  his 
work,  with  the  ])hrase  of  '  Prosodia  Rutionalis.'  This  lust  has  very  little  adi- 
tion  to  tho  former  ])rint:  and  its  Latin  words  servo  only  to  t)bscurc  the  simple 
explanation  of  his  early  English  title. 


RYTHMUS    OF   SPEECH.  611 

agreeable  impresion  of  the  curent  of  spcceli,  called  Rythmus. 
And  further,  certain  perceptible  relations,  between  the  various 
sounds  of  the  elements  and  of  sylables  joined  with  the  flow  of  that 
rythmns,  serve  both  in  prose  and  verse,  to  extend  and  to  highten 
its  esthetic  character.  These  relations  regard  an  interesting  branch 
of  Rhetorical  inquiry;  embracing  those  delicate  audible  percep- 
tions, either  agreeable  or  otherwise,  of  the  similarity  and  contrast 
of  elemental  and  sylabic  sounds,  which  cannot  have  escaped  the 
notice  of  a  cultivated  ear ;  and  which  may  have  been  instinctively 
observed,  and  practiced,  in  Greek  and  Roman  Elocution,  yet 
never  described  or  reduced  to  system.  And  if  what  is  here  said 
may  not  be  perceptible  to  every  Reader ;  some  perhaps,  may  folow- 
up  this  hint  on  the  subject  of  those  graceful  acompaniments  of 
rythmus,  which  I  am  not  at  this  time  prepared  to  pursue. 

Two  methods  of  aplying  the  alternate  force  and  remision  of  stres, 
and  the  variations  of  quantity  are  employed  in  the  construction  of 
rythmus.  One  procedes  by  a  regular  repetition  of  the  same  order 
of  impresions,  in  Versification.  The  other,  in  Prose,  has  no  formal 
arangement  of  its  strong  and  weak,  or  its  long  and  short  sylables. 
The  system  of  the  order  of  sylables  in  verse  constitutes  what  is  caled 
Prosody.  This  subject  having  been  ably  treated  by  authors,  and 
being  beyond  the  design  of  this  esay,  we  here  pass  it  by,  with  the 
remark,  that  if  English  prosodists  would  listen  to  their  om'u  lan- 
guage, when  they  undertake  to  regulate  it,  and  would  scrutinize 
what  the  older  gramarians  have  said  upon  the  subject  of  Timcj 
which,  Ave  have  some  causes  for  beleving,  they  themselves  did  not 
strictly  analyzej  their  science  would  be  more- Intel igible,  and  their 
rules  of  practice  more  useful  to  the  student. 

The  broad  distinction  between  prose  and  verse  consists  in  the 
more  iregular  sequence  of  acent  and  quantity  in  the  former :  still 
they  seem  to  compromise  their  diferences  to  a  certain  degree,  in 
their  respective  atempts  at  excelence.  For  the  best  poetic  rythmus 
is  that  which  admits  ocasional,  and  wel-ordered  deviations  from 
the  curent  of  acentuation  ;  these  deviations  however,  not  continu- 
ing long  enough  to  destroy  the  general  character  of  regularity ;  the 
order  returning  before  the  ear  has  forgoten  its  previous  impresion. 
Prose,  on  the  other  hand,  is  constantly  showing  the  begin ing  of  a 
regular  rythmus :  but  before  any  order  of  acent  or  quantity  has 


512  RYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH. 

time  to  impres  the  ear  with  its  measures  the  cros-purpose  of  a  new 
series  destroys  the  order  of  incipient  verse. 

The  sources  of  variety,  beauty,  and  force,  in  rythmus  may  be 
learned  from  the  folowing  general  view  of  its  structure. 

In  ordinary  pronunciation  there  may  be  several  sucesive  mono- 
sylabic-words  marked  by  the  abrupt  acentj  the  abruptnes  necesa- 
rily  producing  a  momentary  pause  between  them  :  or  there  may  be 
an  acented  sylable  folowcd  by  one  or  more,  and  not  exceeding  five 
unacented ;  the  average  proportion  being  about  one  acented,  to  two 
or  three  unacented.  From  this  it  apears  that  the  divisions,  in- 
cluded between  the  vertical  lines  of  Mr.  Steele's  notation,  caled 
here,  acentual  sections,  may  consist  of  from  one  to  five  sylables, 
and  with  peculiar  arangement,  and  care  in  pronunciation,  perhaps 
of  six.  Consequently,  if  a  rythmus  were  formed  on  the  function 
of  acent  alone,  a  series  of  these  diferently  constituted  sections, 
would  furnish  the  ground-work  for  considerable  variety.  In  the 
above  example,  the  sections  consist  of  from  one  to  five  sylables, 
for  the  third  and  fourth  may  be  thrown  together  by  omiting  the 
bar  and  the  pause,  without  ofending  the  ear ;  and  these  sections 
being  aranged  in  varied  sucesion,  is  one  of  the  causes  of  the  agree- 
able rythmus  of  that  sentence. 

Perhaps  the  Reader  will  now  admitj  the  ear  is  as  strongly 
atracted  by  quantity,  as  by  stres.  When,  therefore,  these  two 
functions  are  combined,  the  means  of  variety  are  multi])lied.  In 
the  folowing  sentence,  slightly  altered  from  Gibbon,  I  have 
marked  in  italics  those  sylables  which  make  an  impresion  by  their 
quantity,  and  add  dignity  to  the  varied  acentual  rythmus. 

The  masters  of  the  fairest  and  most  wealthy  climates  of  the  globe,  funi'd 
with  contempt  from  gloo)ny  /lill.s,  amiVd  by  the  wintery  tempest,  from  lakes 
conccal'd  in  mist,  and  from  cold  and  lonely  heaths,  over  which  the  deer  of  the 
forest  were  chased  by  a  troop  of  naked  barbarians. 

Besides  the  variety  and  impresivenes  arising  from  stres  and 
quantity,  the  rythmic  efcct  may  be  further  diversified  by  including 
one  or  more  axientual  sections  witiiin  the  boundary  of  pauses.  If 
the  useful  economy  of  the  term  may  be  alowed,  let  us  call  tlie  por- 
tions of  discourse  so  formed,  Pausal  sections.  They  may  consist 
of  a  single  word ;  and  the  structure  of  style,  and  ea.se  of  uterance, 


EYTHMUS   OF   SPEECH.  513 

rarely  admit  of  tlieir  containing  more  than  twenty  sylables.  In 
the  folowing  example  the  pausal  sections  are  included  between  the 
upright  lines,  that  the  order  and  variety  of  the  sucesion  may  be 
surveyed  by  the  eye.  The  lines  designate  only  the  place  of  the 
pause  in  clear  and  impresive  reading,  without  denoting  its  several 
durations. 

It  is  gone  |  that  sensibility  of  principle  |  that  chastity  of  honor  j  which 
felt  a  stain  (  like  a  wound  |  which  inspired  courage  |  whilst  it  mitigated 
ferocity  |  which  enobled  whatever  it  touched  |  and  under  which  |  vice  it- 
self I  lost  I  half  its  evil  |  by  losing  all  its  grosnes.  |  * 

The  agreeable  efect  of  variety-  in  the  pausal  sections  will  perhaps 
be  more  remarkable,  by  contrasting  it  with  the  monotony  of  the 
antithetic  stjde.  The  following  sentence  exhibits,  not  the  art,  but 
the  artifice  of  rhetorical  construction. 

When  I  took  the  first  survey  of  my  undertaking  |  I  found  our  speech  | 
copious  I  without  order  |  and  energetic  |  without  rules  |  wherever  I  turned 
my  view  |  there  was  perplexity  |  to  be  disentangled  |  and  confusion  to  be 
regulated  |  choice  was  to  be  made  |  out  of  boundles  variety  |  without  any 
established  principle  of  selection  |  adulterations  were  to  be  detected  ]  with- 
out anj-  setled  test  of  purity  |  and  modes  of  expresion  |  to  be  rejected  or 
receved  |  witho\it  the  sufrages  of  any  writers  of  classical  reputation  |  or 
acknowledged  authority.  | 

Such  measured  divisions  used  ocasionaly  may  give  variety  to 
discourse;  but  as  a  characteristic  of  style,  they  become  tiresome 
to  the  ear;?  and  aiming  to  be  forcible  merely  by  verbal  contrasts, 
often  weaken  the  more  important  force  of  thot.  There  seems  too, 
to  be  a  want  of  dignity  in  this  kind  of  rythmus ;  and  those  Avho 
afect  it,  scarcely  perceve  how  nearly  they  aproach  to  the  principle 
of  the  ludicroiLS :  for  when  its  features  are  slightly  surcharged  by 
caricature,  it  realy  becomes  so.  The  principle  Ls  that  of  a  re- 
semblance in  sound,  with  a  difference  in  meaning.  The  similarity 
in  the  number  of  words,  together  with  the  like  places  of  their 
acents,  and  the  equal  count  of  sylables,  under  which  it  has  some- 

*  The  maner  in  which  lost,  here  forms  by  itself,  a  pausal  section,  is  ex- 
emplified in  Mr.  Steele's  method  of  notation :  I  Viceh  I  self!  \  lost!  \  half  its  \ 
I  e  vil.  I  A  good  reader  would  pronounce  this  clause,  with  emphasis  on  lost, 
and  a  pause  before  and  after  it:  thus  acording  with  Mr.  Steele's  principles  of 
Acentual  division. 


514  EYTHMUS    OF   SPEECH. 

times  been  the  literary  practice  to  set-forth  the  strongest  antithesis 
in  meaning,  has  not  exactly  the  contrasted  imagery  of  a  pun,  but 
it  reminds  me  of  it. 

The  monotonous  efect  of  a  series  of  similar  pausal  sections,  is 
conspicuous  in  the  folowing  example  from  the  poems  of  Ossian. 
It  is  however,  fair  to  remark,  that  as  the  extract  has  only  two 
trisylabic  words,  and  not  one  polysylable,  this  peculiarity  must 
be  taken  into  acount,  with  the  other  defects  of  its  composition. 

And  is  the  son  of  Semo  falen  ?  |  mournful  are  Tura's  walls.  |  Sorow  dwells 
at  Dunscai.  |  Thy  spouse  is  left  alone  in  her  youth.  |  The  son  of  thy  love  is 
alone!  |  He  shall  come  to  Bragela,  |  and  ask  whj^she  weeps?  |  He  shall  lift 
his  eyes  to  the  wall,  |  and  see  his  father's  sword.  |  Whose  sword  is  that  ?  |  he 
will  say.  |  The  soul  of  his  mother  is  sad.  |  Who  is  that,  |  like  the  hart  of  the 
desert,  |  in  the  murmur  of  his  course?  |  His  eyes  look  wildly  round  |  in  search 
of  his  friend.  |  Conal  |  sonofColgar  |  where  hast  thou  been  |  when  themighty 
fell  ?  I  Did  the  seas  of  Cogorma  roll  round  thee  ?  |  Was  the  wind  of  the  south 
in  thy  sails  ?  |  The  mighty  have  fallen  in  batle,  |  and  thou  wast  not  there. 
I  Let  none  tell  it  in  Selma,  |  nor  in  Morven's  woody  land.  |  Fingal  will  be 
sad,  j  and  the  sons  of  the  desert  |  mourn. 

The  pausal  sections  are  nearly  all  of  equal  length,  and  this  cause, 
together  with  the  frequent  ocurence  of  the  cadence,  produces  the 
wearisome  character  of  its  very  comon  language,  for  it  does  not 
deserve  the  name  of  rythmus.  Doctor  Johnson  once  saidj  many 
men,  and  women,  and  children  in  Britain,  could  write  such  poems 
as  those  ascribed  to  Ossian.  I  have  too  many  agreeable  and  grate- 
ful recolections  of  Scotland,  to  quarel  with  her  partiality,  if  she 
has  any,  on  this  point:  but  surely,  there  is  not  a  Koscius,  who  can 
read  them.  We  have  a  vast  fund  for  variety,  in  the  constituents 
of  speech ;  but  we  may  doubt  their  suficiency  to  meet  the  demands 
of  this  rhetorical  rigidity,  without  transgresiug  the  rules  of  a  just 
and  expresive  intonation.  Indeed,  tlie  pasage,  like  many  othei'S  by 
betcr  poets,  cannot  be  read  to  the  satisfaction  of  a  discerning  ear. 

Let  us  compare  the  preceding  extract,  with  the  first  few  lines  of 
Burke's  episode  on  the  Queen  of  France;  which  in  elegance,  variety, 
and  impresivenes  of  mere  rythmus,  and  exclusive  of  some  hyper- 
bok',  and  des(!riptive  ostentation,  is  not  surpased  in  the  English 
language. 

That  both  the  acentual  and  the  pausid  sections  may  be  graph- 


EYTHMUS   OF  SrEECH.  515 

icaly  made,  they  are  here  presented  under  ]\Ir.  Steele's  notation, 
omiting  the  symbols  for  the  light  and  heavy  acent.  The  acentual 
sections  are  marked  by  upright  bars,  the  pausal,  by  the  numeral 
seven. 

I  7  It  is  I  now  I  sixteen  or  |  seventeen  |  years  |  7  since  I  |  saw  tlie  queen 
of  I  France,  7  |  then  the  |  Dauphines,  |  7  at  Ver  |  sailles :  [  7  7  |  7  and 
I  surely  I  never  |  lighted  on  this  |  orb,  |  7  which  she  |  hardly  |  seemed 
to  I  touch,  7  I  7  a  I  more  de  |  lightful  |  vision.  |  7  7  |  7  7  |  7  I  |  saw  her  | 
I  just  a  I  bove  the  ho  |  rizon,  |  7  7  |  decorating  and  |  cheering  |  7  the  | 
elevated  |  sphere  j  7  she  |  just  be  (  gan  to  |  move  in;  |  7  7  |  glitering  | 
7  like  the  |  morning  |  star  ;     1  7  7  |  full  of  |  life,  7  |  7  and  |  splendor,  |  7  and 

I  j^y-  I 

I  Oh !  I  what  a  |  revo  |  lution !  |  7  7  |  7  and  |  what  a  |  heart  7  |  must  I  | 
I  have,  I  7  to  con  |  template  |  7  with  j  out  e  |  motion,  |  that  7  |  7  ele  |  vation  | 
I  7  and  I  that  7  1  fall.  I 


The  agreeable  effect  of  this  rythmus  may  be  traced  to  the  folow- 
ing  causes. 

First.  The  alphabetic  elements  are  varied  ;  and  except  the  sim- 
ilarity of  sound  in  teen  and  Queen,  and  in  the  words  ligJded  and 
deUghtfu],  c/ieering  and  sphere,  they  do  not  press  upon  each  other. 

Second.  The  words  have  from  one  to  four  sylables ;  and  these 
are  finely  alternated  with  each  other.  The  acentual  sections  vary 
from  one  to  five  sylables  in  extent. 

Third.  The  Pausal  sections  consist  of  from  two  sylables  to  ten ; 
and  their  diferent  lengths  are  intermingled  in  sucesion. 

Fourth.  The  efect  is  still  further  varied,  by  an  ocasional  coin- 
cidence of  the  temporal  acent  with  that  of  stres :  and  the  dignity 
and  force  of  the  phraseology  is  hightened,  by  the  ocurrence  of  these 
long  sylabic  quantities,  at  the  several  pauses,  in  the  wordsj  years, 
Yersailles,  orb,  horizon,  sphere,  move,  star,  joy,  and  fall. 

Fifth.  The  order  of  the  rythmus  has  just  enough  regularity  to 
produce  the  smooth  efect  of  verse,  without  alowing  the  reader  to 
anticipate  a  systematic  prosodial-measure. 

The  only  exception  to  be  made  to  the  comendation  of  this  ex- 
tract, is  produced  by  the  consecutive  acents  at  its  close.  A  cadence, 
with  its  last  two  sylables  strongly  accented,  if  not  designed  for 
some  extraordinary  case  of  expresion,  or  for  variety  in  a  series  of 
short  sentences,  or  if  its  harshnes  is  not  modified  by  some  extended 


516  RYTIIMUS   OF   SPEECH. 

quantity  on  an  indefinite  quantity,  is  always,  to  me  at  least,  both 
awkward  and  unmanageable. 

Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  in  a  summary  of  the  constituents 
of  an  elegant  Elocution,  quoted  in  a  Note  to  our  seventh  section, 
describes  Rythmus,  as  suporting  or  ^sustaining  the  voice;'  and  the 
metaphor  is  just.  For  a  wel-marked  arangeraent  of  the  varying 
stres  and  quantity  of  sylables,  does  sustain  the  voice,  by  keeping 
it  from  that  careles  stagering  of  sjjeech,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  and 
from  that  runing  of  words  against  each  other,  which  by  crosing, 
and  aresting  the  easy  step  of  language,  confuses  and  thwarts  the 
expectation  of  both  the  ear  and  the  mind.  The  Ancients,  with 
whom  Writing  was  an  Esthetic  Art,  consideredj  without  rythmus, 
there  could  be  no  grace  and  dignity  of  style,  whether  in  its  lighter 
or  its  graver  construction :  and  we  learn,  that  at  the  earliest  period. 
Poetry  in  embodying  the  mental  perceptions  of  beauty  and  of 
grandeur,  assumed  to  itself  a  coresponding  expresion,  on  the 
flowing  and  graceful  measure  of  Verse.  All  this  rare  work  how- 
ever, was  done  by  those,  who  if  they  did  not,  from  the  patience 
and  thot  with  which  they  wrote,  always  beg  their  bread,  did  veiy 
often  little  more  than  earn  it.  Too  many,  who  now  use  the  hasty 
and  profitable  tongue  and  pen,  have  not  time  to  measure  for  the 
intelect,  and  ear,  what  they  manufacture  for  the  market.  The 
.regular  order  of  Meter  that  can  be  counted  on  the  fingers,  may  for 
comon  purposes  seem  to  require  but  little  instruction.  The  Ryth- 
mus of  Prose  must  be  studied  by  the  rules  of  a  flowing  and  efective 
variety,  as  the  Ancients  studied  it.  It  is  therefore,  at  present, 
neglected :  and  we  are  not  without  Critics,  of  such  indolent  or 
untunable  ear,  as  to  suposej  we  ought  to  write,  even  in  tlie  brief 
and  simple  words  of  scientific  description,  with  the  disjointed 
plaincss  of  common  speech  ;  and  that  to  satisfy  a  cultivated  taste 
and  reflection,  by  the  varied  acentual  force,  quantity,  and  pause  of 
a  well-adjusted  rythmus,  is  to  be  stilted  and  ostentatious:  as  the 
old  Elocutionists  say,  that  to  read  by  the  ]irinciples  and  rules  of 
analytic  knowledge,  is  to  be  Theatric,  and  Ibrnial. 

Tlie  ])reccding  examples  of  rythmus  ilustrate  its  structure  and 
efccts  in  })rose  composition  of  elevated  character.  But  there  is  no 
saying  to  what  inferior  level  of  popular  idiom,  language  may  de- 
scend with  dignified  safety,  when  suportotl  by  the  confident  wings 


FAULTS   GF    READERS.  517 

of  a  gliding  acent  and  quantity,  and  the  upholding  energy  of  pasion 
and  of  thot. 

From  the  pen  of  a  person  of  fine  rythmic  perception,  even  a 
leter  of  busines,  with  its  enumeration  of  particulars,  may  flow 
with  graceful  variety,  and  terminate  with  decisive  satisfaction  to 
the  ear ;  for  the  Grecian  principle  of  rythmus  sustaining  the  voice 
in  discourse,  aplies  not  more  to  maintaining  a  rhetorical  dignity, 
than  to  preserving  comon  language  from  a  loose  and  unmeasured 
rudenes. 

It  is  unecesary  to  go  into  a  further  detail  on  the  subject  of 
rythmus.  Much  might  be  said  in  ilustration  of  its  powers  and 
beauties,  as  existing  both  in  the  curent  of  discourse  and  in  the 
conspicuous  place  of  the  pause.  But  we  leave  this  to  the  Rheto- 
ricians. 


SECTION    LI. 

Oj  the  Faults  of  Readers. 

It  is  a  prevailing  opinion,  that  persons  who  speak  their  own 
states  of  mind,  in  social  intercourse,  always  speak  properly ;  and 
that  transfering  this  '  natural  maner '  as  it  is  caled,  to  formal  read- 
ing, must  insure  this  required  natural-propriety. 

This  rule  has  arisen  from  ignorance  of  the  functions  which 
constitute  the  beauties  and  deformities  of  speech.  Without  a 
knowledge  of  causes  and  efects,  on  these  points,  teachers  have  been 
obliged  to  refer  to  the  spontaneous  eforts  of  the  voice,  as  the  only 
asistant  means  of  instruction.  Seting  aside  here,  what  we  might 
insist  on,  that  no  one  should  pretend  to  say,  what  the  right  or 
natural  maner  is,  before  he  knows  the  principles  that  make  it  so ; 
we  will  admitj  the  natural  maner,  or  any  body's  maner,  or  rather 
no  manor  at  allj  from  our  being  acustomed  to  it,  and  having,  it 
may  be,  a  felow-feeling  with  its  faults,  is  less  excej^tionablc  than 
the  first  atempts  of  the  pupil  in  reading ;  still  the  faults  of  ordi- 
nary conversation  are  similar  to  those  of  reading,  tho  they  are  less 


518  FAULTS    OF    READEES. 

aparent.  Perhaps  the  comon  opinion  is  grounded  on  a  belief,  that 
a  just  execution  must  necesarily  folow  a  full  perception  of  the 
thot,  and  pasion  of  discourse ;  for  these  are  suposed  to  acompany 
coloquial  speech.  No  one  can  read  corectly  or  with  elegance,  if  he 
does  not  both  perceve  and  '  feel, '  as  it  is  caled,  what  he  uters ;  but 
these  are  not  exclusively  the  means  of  suces. 

There  must  be  knowledge,  derived  from  peeping  behind  the 
curtain  of  actual  vocal  deformity  still  hanging  before  the  just  and 
beautiful  laws  of  speech ;  and  there  must  be  an  organic  faculty, 
well  prepared  in  the  school  of  those  laws,  for  the  representation 
of  thot  and  pasion.  Were  it  truej  this  pretended  natural  maner 
represents  the  proper  system  of  vocal  expresion,  we  would  no  more 
require  an  art  of  elocution,  than  an  Art  of  Breathing:  and  the 
whole  world,  in  Reading  and  Speaking,  as  in  the  act  of  respiration, 
would  always  acomplish  its  purposes,  with  a  like  instinctive  per- 
fection. Yet  far  from  uniformity,  we  find  wide  and  inumerable 
diferenccs,  in  what,  with  individuals  and  schools,  pass  for  the 
proprieties,  as  well  as  in  what  are  acknowledged  faults  of  speech. 
The  Elocutionist's  natural  maner  is  not  therefore,  the  original 
ordination  of  the  voice.  It  would  seem,  that  in  the  early  and 
unknown  history  of  progresive  man,  he  must,  from  the  perversity 
atendaut  on  his  ignorance,  have  learned  to  Think,  Speak,  Act, 
Govern,  and  to  be  Governed  viciously,  before  he  had  learned  to 
think,  speak,  act,  govern,  and  to  be  governed  wisely  and  Avell. 
Man's  wJiole  executive  purposes  are  directed  by  his  thots  and 
pasionsj  the  same  agents  that  direct  his  speech :  and,  far  as  history, 
and  well-grounded  conclusions  inform  us,  the  just  designs  of 
Nature,  in  his  moral,  religious,  political,  and  vocal  condition,  M'cre 
found  to  be  already  crosed,  or  perverted,  when  he  first  began  to 
look  into  her  laws,  and  to  turn  an  eye  of  philosophic  inquiry  and 
comparison,  on  himself. 

The  self-prompted  eforts  of  speech  do  exhibit  in  some  instances, 
pro])rieties  of  emphasis  and  intonation ;  but  these  proprieties,  like 
every  purposed  act  without  its  rule,  being  but  the  ocasional  result 
of  a  narow  design,  cannot  have  a  generality  necesary  lor  a  direc- 
tive syst(Mn  of  elocution  ;  and  will  be  very  far  from  satisfactory  to 
the  car  of  a  refined  and  educated  taste. 

There  may  likewise  be  a  wide  diferenee,  between  the  capability 


FAULTS    OF    READERS.  519 

of  a  voice  in  its  coloquial  use,  and  of  tlie  same  voice  wlien  exerted 
in  a  formal  atempt  to  read,  Mr.  Rice,  in  his  '  Introduction  to 
the  Art  of  Reading,'  refei's  to  a  person,  who  had  been  known  to 
speak  with  great  energy  and  propriety,  as  it  was  presumed,  those 
very  words,  which,  being  shown  to  him  in  writing  or  print,  he 
was  able,  only  after  repeated  endeavors,  to  pronounce  in  the  pre- 
cise '  tone '  and  maner  in  which  he  had  previously  utered  them. 
Suposing  he  did  speah  with  propriety,  which  the  art  has  never 
yet  furnished  the  proper  means  for  knowing^  there  seems,  in  the 
case,  to  have  been  no  want  of  a  thdtive  and  pasionative  state  of 
mind,  nor  of  flexibility  in  the  voice;  and  it  must  have  been 
among  those  exceptions,  in  which  the  natural  laws  of  expresion 
prevail.  But  when  discourse,  denoting  either  of  these  states,  is 
read,  even  by  its  author,  the  ocupation  of  the  eye  distracts  his 
atention  from  his  state  of  mindj  or  permits  it  to  be  fully  per- 
ceved,  only  when  directed  to  a  single  point.  If  the  meaning  is  to 
be  gathered  from  several  words,  or  a  whole  sentence,  the  necesary 
foreruning  and  retrospection  of  the  eye,  render  the  proper  manage- 
ment of  the  voice  impracticable  to  those  who  have  not,  by  long 
exercise  in  the  art  of  reading,  acquired  a  facility  in  catching  tlie 
thot  and  pasion  of  discourse,  and  an  almost  involuntary  habit  of 
conecting  with  them,  the  proper  form  of  vocal  expresion.  If  this 
is  true  of  one  who  reads  what  he  has  before  spoken  wellj  more 
remarkably  must  it  aply,  in  reading  without  preparation  the  dis- 
course of  another. 

Whatever  may  be  the  cause  of  the  dificulty  of  reading-wellj 
faults  of  all  degrees  and  kinds  do  prevail  in  the  art.  Having 
therefore  prepared  the  Avay  for  a  history  of  these  faults,  by  de- 
scribing what  apears  to  be  a  precise  and  elegant  use  of  the  con- 
stituents of  speech,  I  shall  point  out  the  most  comon  deviations 
from  the  principles,  on  which  I  have  presumed  to  found  our 
system  of  Propriety  and  Taste. 

If  we  undertake  to  measure  an  art  by  its  rules,  and  it  is  foolish 
to  atempt  it  without  them,  we  must  cary  with  our  censure,  some 
knowledge  of  the  ways  and  means  of  its  perfection.  Erors  are 
in  all  cases,  contrasts  to  truth;  and  in  elocution,  they  are  only 
the  misemployment  of  those  vocal  constituents,  which  in  their 
proper  forms  and  uses,  produce  both  the  instinctive  and  conven- 


520  FAULTS   OF   EEADEES. 

tional  method  of  just  and  elegant  speech :  for  some  of  the  finest 
colors  of  the  art,  even  when  well  and  truly  laid-on,  are  diped 
from  the  same  sources  as  its  faults.  Whoever,  with  pretensions 
to  taste,  declares  his  perception  of  blemishes  in  an  art,  without 
having  at  the  same  time,  some  rule  for  its  beaut}',  speaks  as  the 
dupe  of  authority,  or  with  ignorance  both  of  his  subject  and  of 
himself.  Let  us  then  try  to  perform  these  inseparable  duties,  by 
giving  the  outline  of  a  just  and  elegant  elocution,  with  a  particular 
account  of  its  faults. 

While  investigating  the  phenomena,  and  regarding  the  uses  of 
sj^eech,  I  have  always  kept  in  view  the  purest  and  most  elevated 
designs  of  taste.  It  will  be  little  more  than  recapitulation  there- 
fore to  sayj  the  faultles  reader  should  have  at  comand  the  various 
forms  of  vocality  from  the  full  laryngeal  bass  of  the  orotund,  to 
the  lighter  and  lip-issuing  sound  of  daily  conversation.  He  should 
give  distinctly  that  pronunciation  of  single  elements  and  their 
agregates,  both  as  to  quantity  and  acent,  which  acords  with  the 
habitual  perceptions  of  his  audience.  His  plain  melody  should  be 
diatonic,  and  varied  in  radical  pitch  beyond  discoverable  monotony. 
His  simple  concrete  should  be  equable  in  the  rise,  and  diminution 
of  its  vanish.  His  tremor  should  be  under  ful]  comand  for  oca- 
sions  of  grief  and  exultation.  Knowledge  and  taste  must  have 
fixed  the  places  of  emphasis,  and  its  various  forms  and  degrees 
have  aforded  the  means  for  a  varied  and  expresive  aplication  of 
them.  He  should  be  able  to  prolong  his  voice  on  ever}'  extent 
of  quantity  in  the  wave,  and  in  every  concrete  interval  of  the 
rising  and  the  faling  scale.  He  must  have  learned  to  put  ofif 
from  the  dignified  ocasions  of  reading,  everything  like  that  cant- 
ing or  afected  intonation,  which  the  artful  courtesies  and  sacri- 
ficing servilities  of  life  too  often  confirm  into  habit ;  and  to  avoid 
in  his  interogatives  the  keenues  and  exceses  of  the  vulgar  tongue. 
He  should  have  for  this,  as  for  every  other  Esthetic  Art,  a  deli- 
cate sense  of  the  Sublime,  the  Graceful,  and  the  Ridiculous.  A 
quick  perception  of  the  last  is  absolutely  necesary,  to  guard  the 
exalted  works  of  taste,  from  an  acidental  ocurence  of  its  causes. 

It  may  perhaps  be  considered  presumptuous,  to  propose  rules  of 
taste  and  criticism  in  tlie  Art  of  s[)eaking.  JJefore  the  analytic 
development  of  speech,  this  could  not  have  been  done ;  and  the 


FAULTS    OF    READERS.  521 

atempt  -would  have  been  equaly  the  act  of  ignorance,  and  foly,  the 
very  causes  of  presumption.  We  have  now  ascertained  the  con- 
stituents of  vocal  expresion,  sufficiently  at  least,  to  advance  some 
steps  towards  a  system ;  and  it  seemed  to  be  no  undue  antici])ation 
of  what  must  hereafter  form  a  great  purpose  in  the  schools  of  elo- 
cution, to  have  pointed-out  a  use  of  these  constituents,  that  may 
satisfy  the  cultivated  ear. 

If  however,  any  ascribed  presumption  should  require  apology, 
or  justification,  let  me  here  say  a  word  on  the  system  I  have  oferedj 
and  on  the  maner  and  means  of  its  production. 

In  embracing  the  oportunity  of  investigating  the  subject  of  the 
human  voice,  which  others  equaly,  and  perhaps  beter  qualified 
had  sufered  to  pass-by,  I  brought  to  the  inquiry  some  instinctive 
facility  of  ear,  and  some  acquired  knowledge  of  the  science  and 
practice  of  music.  On  taking-up  the  subject  of  the  concrete 
movement,  where  the  Ancients  had  left  itj  and  thereupon  tracing 
an  identity  between  certain  constituent  functions  of  speech,  and  of 
musicj  the  train  of  investigation  soon  led  to  a  discovery,  that  the 
individual  vocal  constituents  of  speech,  like  those  of  music,  are 
comparatively  few.  This  at  once  unfolded  the  cause  of  the  mys- 
tery ;  for  the  delusions  of  that  mystery  were  the  result  of  a  belief 
either  in  the  inscrutable  character  of  the  constituents  of  intonation, 
or  in  the  unresolvable  complexity  of  their  agrcgates;  and  this 
unquestioned  belief  had  deafened  all  perception  of  their  individu- 
ality. On  resolving  these  complicated  agrcgates  into  distinguish- 
able species  and  individualsj  it  brought  their  asignable  number  and 
forms  within  the  discriminative  power  of  observation.  The  greatest 
dificulty  was  now  overcome ;  for  by  an  unobscured  percei)tion  of 
the  disentangled  individual,  it  was  easy  to  make  out  the  relation- 
ship between  a  state  of  mind,  and  its  vocal  sign.  With  this 
knowledge,  obtained  by  my  own  experimental  ilustration,  I  turned 
to  the  uncorupted  vocal  instincts  of  children  and  of  sub-animalsj 
to  observe  the  particular  constituents  of  pasionate  ex})rcsion ; 
and  then  to  comon  life,  as  well  as  to  the  eminent  elocution  of 
the  Stagej  to  compare  the  ordained  constituents  of  both  thot  and 
pasion  with  their  conventional  usages  in  speech.  The  power  of 
tracing  the  individual  constituents,  and  of  recognizing  their  single 
and  combined  efects,  brot  me  to  the  belief,  that  the  system  here 
34 


522  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

proposed  has  its  Origin  and  its  Confirmation  in  Xature ;  and  is 
therefore  well  adapted,  by  its  analysis,  to  gratify  the  lover  of  truthj 
and  by  the  practical  uses  founded  upon  it,  to  contribute  to  the 
pleasures  of  an  enlightened  taste. 

In  developing  this  system  of  Eficient  causation,  I  was  led  to 
perceve  a  wise  conformity  of  the  vocal  means,  to  the  expresive 
ends  of  speecli ;  and  to  remark  therein,  at  least  the  consistency  of 
the  system,  if  I  did  not  dare  to  draw  from  the  suposition  of  its 
Final  causes,  any  confirmative  evidence  of  its  truth.  In  our  pre- 
ceding history,  a  broad  and  important  distinction  is  made  between 
the  vocal  functions,  representing  simple  thot,  and  those  expresive 
of  pasion.  To  one  division,  we  aloted  the  second  and  its  plain 
diatonic  melody.  To  the  other,  the  semitone,  with  the  wider  in- 
tervals and  waves :  manifest  diferences  in  the  vocal  means,  being 
definitely  acomodated  to  manifest  diferences  betw^een  the  thotive 
and  pasionative  states  of  mind.  On  the  ground  of  this  aprojDri- 
ation  of  diferent  means  to  a  diferent  end,  it  is  conclusive,  that  the 
rule  of  rules,  nowhere,  and  never  forgoten  by  Nature^  this  Rule 
of  Fitnesj  being  unknown,  or  disregarded,  or  only  rarely  perceved 
in  the  use  of  intonation,  must  be  constantly  violated  by  speakers : 
that  a  current  melody  of  thirds,  or  fifths,  or  wider  waves,  must 
counteract  the  Final  Cause  of  Nature,  in  alotting  a  diferent  vocal 
expresion  respectively  to  pasion  and  to  thot;  confound  lier  intended 
contradistinctions  ;  prevent  the  repose  of  the  ear  on  the  unim- 
pasioned  diatonic;  and  wear  out  its  excitability  to  the  emphatic 
power  of  wider  intervals,  when  required  for  ocasional  purposes  of 
vivid  expresion. 

There  is  another  consideration,  to  justify  the  establishment  of  a 
system  of  some  kind,  if  it  should  not  plead  for  the  one  which  is 
ofered  here.  When  the  several  voices  of  thot  and  of  pasion  are 
individualy  distinguishable,  the  precision  of  their  use  must  be- 
come an  object  of  atention  and  criticism  with  an  audience ;  and 
under  an  admited  rule,  their  employment  will  be  more  uniform, 
and  therefore  more  clear  and  imprcsive.  If  we  vary  and  confound 
the  aj)ropriatc  meaning  of  the  vocal  signs,  even  when  they  are 
joined  with  conventional  language,  we  may  come  in  time  to  de- 
stroy, and  nuist  always  weaken,  the  ciuiracter  and  force  of  those 
signs.     If  we  constantly  whine  in  the  chromatic  mek)dy,  or  cry 


I 


I 


FAULTS  OF   EEADERS.  523 

out  empliaticaly  in  the  wider  intervals  and  Avavcs,  to  no  purpose 
of  complaint  or  surprise,  we  shall  in  vain  seek  for  sympathy,  when 
the  wolf  of  expresion  in  reality  seizes  upon  us. 

In  looking  for  a  Rule  of  excelence  in  the  art  of  elocution,  we 
are  always  refered,  as  in  the  other  fine  arts,  to  Nature.  But  Na- 
ture with  her  laws  concealed  from  the  whole  mass  of  Mvstao-offues 
and  Imitators,  is  when  shut-out  from  the  light  of  analysis,  an  un- 
asignable  patern ;  and  seems  here,  as  in  so  many  other  cases,  to  be 
no  more  than  the  omniform  parent  of  sectarian  opinion ;  and  like 
the  changeable  features  of  Liberty  with  the  patriot,  of  Experience 
with  the  physician.  Right  with  the  moralist,  and  of  Orthodoxy 
with  the  bigotj  shows  as  many  faces  as  there  are  self-deceving 
tongues  that  take  her  name  in  vain.  If  nature,  the  deformed  in- 
stinct of  human  nature,  I  mean,  is  to  be  the  rule,  it  can  be  only 
by  the  individual  instances  of  excelence  she  produces  :  if  her  ex- 
celencies  are  seatered  over  the  species,  it  is  Art  that  must  ordain 
this  canon,  by  colecting  them  into  one  faultles  example.  And 
where  is  the  instance  in  this  corupted  nature,  worthy  of  imitation  ? 
Is  it  to  be  found  in  the  drawl  of  the  slothful  ?  In  the  snapish 
stres  of  the  petulant  ?  The  short  quantity  and  precipitate  time  of 
the  frivolous  ?  In  the  contmued  diatonic  of  the  saturnine  ?  Or 
the  eternal  whine  of  the  unhappy  ?  Is  it  in  the  canting  drift  of 
the  pasion-masking  hypocrite ;  or  in  the  voice  of  those  morbid 
superlatives  which  live  upon  exageration  ?  Shall  we  look  for  it 
in  the  daily-changing  and  mincing  afectations  of  the  Fashionable- 
Foolish  ;  or  in  the  thousand  contrarieties  of  National  acent,  quan- 
tity, and  intonation,  yet  each  in  pride  and  ignorance,  self-aright  ? 
Shall  we  find  this  nature's  paragon,  in  the  chaterings  of  the  great 
market  of  life,  that  hurries  over  its  melody,  denies  itself  the  repose 
of  the  cadence,  and  in  uproar  after  rank  and  power,  and  biding 
for  its  bargains  of  ofice  or  notoriety,  strains  itself  to  its  hoarsest 
note  ? 

These  are  the  individual  instances  of  vocal  deformity  presented 
by  Nature,  with  sacrilege  so  called,  and  daily  sufered  to  pass  Avith- 
out  remark,  because  we  are  engaged  at  the  moment  with  other 
purposesj  and  which  we  perccve  only  Avhen  the  voice  itself  as  a 
subject  of  taste,  is  the  exclusive  object  of  reflective  and  discrimi- 
nating atention. 


524  FAULTS    OF    READERS. 

Altho  a  Compensating  Nature,  still  holding  her  regards  over 
the  wayward  erors  of  the  human  voice,  may  not,  under  its  cor- 
uptions,  deign  to  show  us  a  single  instance  of  the  fitnes  and  beauty 
of  her  lawsj  she  has,  as  an  indiciition  of  her  means  for  perfecting 
the  vocal  powers  of  the  individual,  difused  thruout  the  species,  all 
the  constituents  of  that  perfection.  A  description  of  the  true  char- 
acter and  wise  design  of  these  constituents,  and  the  gathering-in  of 
their  scatered  proprieties  and  beauties,  furnish  the  full  and  choicest 
pattern  of  Imitable-Nature ;  which,  reduced  to  an  orderly  system 
of  precept  and  example,  must  hereafter  constitute  the  proper  and 
elegant  Art  of  Elocution. 

The  Canon,  so  called,  of  statuary  in  Greece,  which  represented 
no  singly-existing  form,  but  which  was  said  to  contain  within  the 
Rule  of  its  Design,  all  the  master-principles  of  the  Artj  was  the 
deliberate  work  of  Observation,  Time,  and  careful  Experiment 
on  the  Eye,  in  the  very  method  of  reflective  and  discriminating 
Selection,  we  here  claim  for  Elocution  ;  and  was  finished  at  last, 
by  Polycletus,  only  after  previous  ages  of  sucesive  improvement. 
If  an  individual  of  nature  might  be  taken  as  a  model  in  the  arts, 
we  should  not  at  this  late  day  be  so  often  obliged  to  listen  to  bad 
readers ;  nor  to  hear  such  clashing  opinions,  upon  those  who  pass 
for  the  best.  The  productions  of  taste  would  have  forerun  a 
present  needed  cultivation;  and  in  reverse  of  the  tedious  growth 
of  centuries,  would  like  those  goodly  trees  in  the  garden  of  Eden, 
have  been  ripe  at  their  planting. 

The  masters  in  Elocution,  not  perceving,  that  Speaking-well  is 
One,  in  the  beautiful  Sisterhood  of  the  Esthetic  Arts,  and  not 
drawing  from  a  comon  fund  of  colcctcd  principles,  the  precepts 
that  might  be  aplicable  to  their  ownj  have  sometimes  varied  their 
old  and  imperfect  rule  of  teaching  by  Imitation,  to  something  like 
the  system  of  nature,  as  they  think,  by  requiring  their  pupil,  not 
to  imitate  another,  but  figuratively  as  it  were,  to  imitate  himself. 
Supose  yourself,  says  the  Master,  to  be  delivering  the  meaning  of 
an  author  as  if  it  is  your  own. 

Such  a  direction,  in  a.suming  to  be  the  rule  for  a  just  and  efective 
elocution,  only  requires  a  pupil  to  speak  as  he  pleases,  or  as  his 
own  particular  mind  prompts  him ;  for  by  the  direction,  he  is  to 
make- the  author's  meaning  his  own;  but  having,  as  implied  by 


FAULTS   OF    READERS.  525 

the  ncecj^ity  of  the  direction,  no  previous  rule,  he  is  left  to  uter 
them  only  as  he  pleases  by  an  asumecl  rule  of  his  own.  At  best 
then,  untler  this  direction,  a  class  of  a  thousand  pupils,  in  seeking 
a  precept  for  the  suposed  exact  meaning,  would  discovery  there 
must  be  a  thousand  diferent  precepts ;  since  each  must  speak  by 
his  own.  It  is  then  an  unnecesary  direction  of  an  unthinking 
master.  For  no  one  can  read  well,  except  he  does  spontaneously 
read  as  if  the  meaning  were  his  own :  showing  the  superfluity  at 
least  of  directing  him  to  make  it  his  own,  in  order  to  read  well. 
And  again,  the  pupil  w'ho  cannot  so  far  knoAv  an  author's  mind,  as 
to  be  able  to  represent  it  from  writen  description,  would  be  very 
likely  to  mistake  it  under  his  master's  vague  direction,  that  he 
must  try  to  make  it  his  own.  Let  us  however,  suposej  this  rule 
of  Self-Imitation  might  serve  for  comonplace  thot,  on  everyday 
ocasions. 

On  the  other  hand,  supose  the  art  of  reading  to  be  employed  .in 
representing  the  strictest  truth  and  projiriety  of  dramatic  character, 
or  the  most  delicate  picturing  by  the  higher  poetry.  How,  M-ith 
the  great  Crowd  of  mankind,  will  the  rule  of  substitution  meet 
this  case  ?  I  have  more  than  once,  seen  among  Aspirants  of  the 
Stage,  the  pitiable  result  of  what  was  suposed  to  be  a  representa- 
tion of  the  Truth  of  Nature,  by  this  afecting  to  become  identical 
with  their  enacted  Character,  in  asuming  the  thot  of  another  as 
their  own ;  a  representation  of  Nature,  without  a  knowledge  of 
her  constitution  and  laws  ;  a  constitution,  coeval  with  the  period 
of  human  progres  into  speech. 

All  the  Fine  Arts  are  esentialy  A^'ts'j  each  the  ofspring  of  a 
fruitful  aliance  between  Knowledge  and  intelectual  facility :  the 
high  acomplishment  of  the  Mork  by  the  Artist,  and  the  reflective 
enjoyment  of  its  truth  and  beauty  by  the  Votary,  being  purely  the 
result  of  scrutinizing  perception,  extensive  comparison,  enlightened 
choice,  and  a  harmonized  use  of  the  scatered  facts  and  rules  of 
propriety,  unity,  expresion,  grandeur  and  grace. 

Many  of  the  faults  of  speakers  arise  from  their  being  taught 
by  imitation  alone.  As  long  as  there  has  l)een  a  history  of  the 
Stage,  so  long,  Actors  have  been  clased  in  the  school  of  some 
Preceding,  or  Cotemporary  master.  But  as  there  is  always  one, 
who  by  chance  or  by  merit  is  the  Leader  of  the  '  lustrum j'  and 


626  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

even  five  years  is  a  long  life  for  fashionable  faraej  it  generaly 
hapens  that  his  faults  may  for  the  time,  be  recognized  among  a 
crowd  of  pupils  and  imitators.  From  the  want  of  some  definite 
corective,  the  bad  reading  of  a  Pulpit  sometimes  infects  a  whole 
class  of  studentsj  who  circumscribe  the  active  benefits  of  their 
master's  solemn  example  by  taking-up  his  sinful  elocution. 

It  may  be  saidj  If  we  establish  a  system  of  principles,  all 
readers  must  be  of  one  school,  and  this  will  be  equivalent  to  imi- 
tation. There  would  be  one  school ;  a  school  of  acknowledged 
and  permanent  precept,  with  a  likenes  in  its  excelence,  not  in  its 
defects.  Many  actors  who  difer  from  each  other  in  their  faults, 
yet  give  ocasional  short  sentences  with  similar  propriety,  Avithout 
exciting  a  remark  on  that  similarity;  for  propriety  is  here,  the 
fitnes  of  truth.  It  is  only  upon  some  imitated  outrage  of  uter- 
ance,  that  in  a  moment,  the  whispered  name  of  a  prototype  is  heard 
in  twenty  parts  of  a  theater.  Serious  imitations  of  distinguished 
Actors  and  Speakers,  like  gay  mimicries  of  them,  are  generaly 
made  on  peculiar  pronunciation,  monotony,  unpleasant  quality  of 
voice,  peculiar  forms  of  melody,  wdiining,  false  cadence,  or  no 
cadence  at  all,  and  precipitate  and  unaccountable  transitions.* 

But,  enough  of  unsatisfactory  argument  on  this  subject.     The 

*  Strange,  indeed  !  that  such  faults  should  be  found  among  distinguished 
Actors  and  Speakers.    But  I  write  from  observation  ;  having  heard  them  all. 

The  celebrated j  who  had  a  grating  and  untunable  vocalitj',  and 

whose  elocution  as  I  recolect  it,  was  afected  and  monotonous,  in  a  formal 
melody  of  wider  intervals  and  waves,  with  an  ocasional  minor  third  in  em- 
phatic placesj  would,  after  some  of  the  Older  Poets,  pronounce  when  nobody 
else  did,  the  plural  of  ache  (ach-es)  as  two  sylables,  to  the  unseasonable  meri- 
ment  of  those  wlio  heard  him.  The  use  of  the  minor  third  however,  was  not 
peculiar  to  him,  for  it  seems  to  be  a  vocal  tradition,  still  kept  up  among  the 
English.  The  Quakers,  particularly  their  women,  in  public  preaching,  employ 
it  to  an  extravagant  degree  ;  and,  from  the  incorigible  character  of  all  sectari- 
anism, probably  had  it  in  the  time  of  Fox;  whose  folowers  may  have  derived 
it  thro  the  earlier  Protestants,  from  some  awkward  imitation  of  chanting,  in 
the  Catholic-service.  Bo  this  as  it  maj',  it  is  not  uncomon,  in  jirivate  life, 
even  with  women  of  the  higher  classes,  in  England  ;  and  very  comon  on  the 
Stage.  We  often  hear  it  in  Actors  as  well  as  Actreses  who  come  over  to  us. 
Wo  had  some  years  ago,  one  of  the  later,  wliose  intonation  was  almost  a 
melody  of  minor  thirds.  As  long  as  she  lasted,  it  was  thot  very  fine ;  and 
was  imitated  by  many  American  theatric  Misses.  Its  afectation  was  so  re- 
markable, that  it  was  a  subject  of  mimicry  for  every  shop-girl  witli  a  good 
car,  who  heard  it. 


I 


FAULTS   OF    READERS.  527 

art  of  Elocution  has  never  yet,  by  system  or  rule,  reached  that 
consumation,  which  might  be  caled,  the  Canonical  Beauty  of 
Speech.  The  corupted  instinct  of  individuals,  has  been  for  each, 
the  universal  guide ;  and  the  best  management  of  the  voice  has, 
under  so  poor  a  master,  falen-short  of  an  efective  means  for  the 
highest  oral  excelence  of  an  ordained  Elocution :  while  the  comon 
herd  of  pretenders  aford  both  shocking  and  endles  examples  of 
deformity  and  eror. 

It  is  not  the  intention  here,  to  speak  of  the  constitutional  de- 
formities of  the  voice.  It  is  dificult  however,  to  draw  a  line  of 
distinction  on  this  subject.  Too  many  of  the  wilful  vices  of  life, 
under  self-delusion,  pass  for  misfortunes :  and  it  can  scarcely  be 
made  a  question,  whether  the  impudent  display  of  even  natural  fail- 
ings should  not  shut-out  the  subject  from  indulgent  comiseration. 

Three  points  are  of  leading  importance  to  a  speaker :  and  if 
deficiencies  therein  are  not  to  be  caled  misfortunes,  we  may  rank 
them  as  great  and  generic  faults.  I  mean  the  defects  of  the  Mind, 
of  the  Ear,  and  of  Industry. 

Speech  is  intended  to  be  the  sign  of  every  variety  of  thot  and 
pasion.  If  therefore  the  mind  of  a  scholar  be  not  raised  to  that 
generality  of  condition,  which  can  asume  all  the  characters  of  ex- 
presion,  he  will  in  vain  aspire  to  great  eminence  in  the  art.  If 
his  mind  is  endued  only  with  the  diplomatic  virtue  of  unrufled 
caution ;  if  it  is  of  that  character  which  compliments  its  own 
dulnes  by  caling  energy,  violencej  and  drawls-out  in  reprobation 
at  the  vivid  language  of  truth ;  if  all  its  busy  goings  are  jiLst 
around  the  little  circle  of  its  own  selfish  schemes ;  if  it  has  yet 
to  know  itself,  as  only  a  compound  of  thot,  and  pasion ;  and  to 
hear,  without  being  convinced,  that  suces  in  every  art  is  not  more 
indebted  to  the  plans  of  sagacious  thot,  than  to  the  i)erseverance 
of  thotful  pasion ;  if  the  mind,  I  repeat  it,  is  of  such  a  cast,  its 
posesor  may  with  the  resources  of  elementary  knowledge,  and 
methodj  atain  a  certain  proficiency  in  the  art,  may  save  himself 
from  its  striking  faults,  and  probably  satisfy  his  own  uncircum- 
spect  perception ;  but  he  can  never  reach  the  highest  acomplish- 
ment  in  elocution. 

In  speaking  of  the  mental  requisites  for  good  reading,  we  must 
not  overlook  our  frequent  neglect  to  discriminate  between  a  merely 


528  FAULTS    OF    READERS. 

forcible,  and  a  delicate  state  of  mind.  The  latter  makes  the  fall 
and  finished  Actor;  and  it  is  unfortunate  for  his  art,  that  en- 
dowments, which  under  proper  cultivation  insure  suces,  are  gen- 
eral}' united  with  a  modesty  that  retires  from  the  places  and  oca- 
sions  for  displaying  its  merits :  the  former  in  reaching  no  more 
than  the  coarse  energy  of  the  pasions,  is  able  to  figure  on  the 
Stage,  only  as  the  outrageous  Herod,  the  brazen  Beatrice,  and  the 
Buffoon. 

The  mind,  with  its  comprehensive  and  refined  discriminations, 
must  furnish  the  design  of  elocution ;  the  ear  must  watch  over 
the  lines  and  coloring  of  its  expresion. 

The  ability  to  measure  nicely  the  time,  force,  and  pitch  of 
sounds,  is  indispensable  to  the  higher  excelencies  of  speech.  It 
is  imposible  to  say  how  much  of  the  musical  ear,  properly  so 
caled,  is  the  result  of  cultivation.  There  is  however  a  wide  difer- 
ence  even  in  the  earliest  aptitudes  of  this  sense;  and  granting 
the  means  of  improvement  derived  from  analysis  will  hereafter 
greatly  increase  the  proportional  number  of  good  readei-s,  and 
produce  something  like  an  equality  among  themj  still  the  pos- 
ession  of  a  musical  ear  must,  with  other  requisites,  always  give  a 
superiority. 

I  have  more  than  once  in  this  essay,  urged  the  importance  of 
Industry,  the  third  general  means  for  suces.  Neglect  on  this 
point  may  be  considered  as  an  egregious  fault  in  a  speaker ;  and 
it  certainly  is  the  most  culpable.  It  is  here  placed  on  high 
ground,  along  with  mental  susceptibility  and  delicacy  of  ear,  those 
esentials  which  have  been  designated  by  the  indefinite  term 
'genius.'  In  vain  will  the  mind  furnish  its  finest  perceptions,  or 
the  ear  be  ready  with  its  measurements,  if  the  tongue  should  not 
contribute  its  persevering  industry.  By  a  figure  of  speech  that 
took  a  part  for  the  whole  of  the  senses,  a  hapy  penalty  upon 
mankind,  as  it  was  early  writen,  doomed  the  taste  to  be  gratified 
by  the  sweat  of  the  brow :  the  ear  can  receve  its  full  delight  in 
Elocution,  only  by  the  long  labor  of  the  voice. 

The  faults  of  speakers  are  of  endles  variety:  but  if  I  have  told 
the  whole  truth,  they  embrace  no  mode  or  form  of  voice,  here  un- 
named. It  seems  as  if  Nature  had  asumed,  in  her  adjusted  system 
of  speech,  all  its  available  signs.     The  worldly  tongue,  with  his 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  529 

corupting  habit,  in  deforming  this  all-perfect  endowment,  makes 
no  adition  to  its  constituents,  but  performs  his  part  in  human 
eror,  by  misplacing  them.  In  the  present  history  of  the  faults  of 
speech,  we  may  therefore  pursue  something  like  the  order,  more 
than  once,  given  to  our  subject. 

The  five  general  heads,  under  which  we  considered  the  Modes 
of  the  voice,  are  Vocality,  Time,  Force,  Abruptness,  and  Pitch. 

Of  Faults  in  Vocality.  This  subject  is  so  well  known,  both  in 
the  Art,  and  in  comon  criticism,  that  it  is  unecesary  to  be  ])artic- 
ular  upon  it.  Harshnes  or  rufnes  is  one  of  the  disagreeable  forms 
of  the  voice.  The  nasal  is  still  more  ofensive.  Shrilnes  may 
rather  be  called  a  Vocality  than  a  state  of  Pitch.  It  wants  dig- 
nity, seems  like  a  mockery  of  the  voice,  and  while  heard  remotely, 
and  drawing  atention,  it  is  with  the  atraction  of  a  caricature.  The 
huskines  of  aspiration  is  more  apt  to  be  united  Avith  the  orotund. 
It  may  not  diminish  the  gravity  and  sober  grandeur  of  this  voice, 
but  it  obscures  the  clearnes  of  its  vocality. 

The  falsete  is  sometimes  used  in  the  curent  of  speech.  We  hear 
persons  on  the  stage,  in  the  senate,  the  fervent  pulpit,  and  on  the 
scafold  of  the  demao-ogue,  who  ofend  with  the  falsete  onlv  oca- 
sionaly,  by  the  melody,  breaking  from  the  natural  voice,  on  a 
single  sy.lable.  Every  speaker  has  a  falsete ;  and  the  skilful  can 
always  guard  against  its  improper  use.  As  a  fault,  it  results 
either  from  the  limited  compas  of  the  natural  voice,  or  from  a  de- 
fect of  ear  in  the  speaker ;  for  not  having  an  acurate  perception 
of  his  aproach  to  it,  he  is  unable  to  avoid  the  evil,  by  a  ready 
descent  of  intonation. 

The  falsete  is  common  in  the  voices  of  women.  It  has  with 
them  a  plaintive  character ;  and  the  melody  at  this  high  pitch  is 
apt  to  be  monotonous. 

Of  Faults  in  Time.  It  is  not  meant  to  treat  here,  of  what  is  caled 
reading  too  fast  or  too  slow.  There  is  nothing  new  to  be  said  on 
this  point.  But  we  who  speak  English  are  said,  by  the  report  of 
the  compilers  of  Greek  and  of  Latin  gramars,  to  know  nothing  of 
Quantity,  and  to  have  none  in  our  language.  That  bad  readers, 
and  persons  who  will  not  learn  their  own  tongue  may  know 
nothing  of  its  quantity,  is  readily  granted ;  still,  that  it  is  an 
esential  part  of  every  language,  and  the  neglect  of  it,  a  source  of 


530  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

many  faults  in  ours,  must  be  admitted  by  those  who  know  the 
efect  of  sylabic  time,  and  the  proper  use  of  the  voice. 

Quantity,  as  a  fault,  may  be  too  long  or  too  short.  When 
states  of  mind  requiring  short  time,  sucli  as  gayety  and  anger,  are 
expresed  by  long  quantity,  it  produces  the  vice  of  Drawling.  The 
excessive  quantity  of  this  drawling  may  be  either  on  a  wave  of 
the  second,  or  an  equal  or  unequal  wave  of  wider  intervals,  or  on 
the  note  of  Song. 

When  deliberate  or  solemn  discourse  is  huried  over  in  a  short 
sylabic  quantity,  the  fault  is  no  less  apparent  and  ofensive.  This 
defect  in  reading  is  by  far  the  most  comon;  and  it  has  been  said, 
more  than  once,  in  this  esay,  because  it  is  well  to  rouze  the  Eng- 
lish ear  to  this  subject,  that  the  comand  over  time  in  the  pure  and 
equable  concrete  of  speech,  is  found  only  in  speakers  of  fervent 
temperament  and  long  experience.  Such  persons  instinctively 
acquire  the  use  of  extended  quantity  :  as  on  long  sylables,  most  of 
their  earnest  expression  is  efected.  It  is  from  ignorance  of  this 
fact,  that  some  speakers,  neglecting  the  variety  and  smoothnes  of 
the  temporal  emj^hasis,  give  prominence  to  important  words  only 
by  the  hamering  of  acent. 

Of  Faults  in  Force.  The  misaplication  of  the  degrees  of  the 
piano  and  the  forte,  in  the  general  curent  of  discourse  is  sufieiently 
obvious.  But  the  forms  of  stres,  on  diferent  parts  of  the  concrete, 
have  never  been  observed,  and  consequently,  have  never  been  noted 
as  a  fault. 

Many  speakers,  from  a  dificulty  in  comanding  variations  of 
quantity,  execute  most  of  their  emphasis  in  the  form  of  force ;  yet 
even  in  this  aparently  simple  efort,  they  are  not  free  from  faults. 
Some  persons,  after  the  maner  of  the  Irish,  employ  the  vanishing 
stress  on  all  emphatic  sylables.  This  has  its  meaning  in  cxprcsion, 
but  it  is  misplaced,  except  on  the  ocasions  ft)rmerly  pointed  out. 
A  want  of  the  sharp  and  abrupt  character  of  the  radical  is  not  an 
uncomon  fault.  It  ocurs  generaly  in  the  dull  and  indolent :  for 
nothing  shows  so  clearly  an  elastic?  temper  in  the  voice,  as  the 
ability  to  sudenly  exi)lode  this  initial  stres.  On  the  other  hand  it 
is  a  more  frequent  fault,  to  over-strcs  the  acented  sylable,  by  that 
hamering  of  the  voice,  which  destroys  the  dignity  of  deliberate 
intonation.     This  ovcr-stres  does  most  violence  to  the  solenni  ex- 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  531 

presion,  apropriate  to  many  parts  of  the  Church-service :  for  here 
the  waves  of  the  second,  on  indefinite  quantities,  whether  acented 
or  not  j  including  by  license,  even  a  slight  extension  of  the  shortest 
sylablesj  should  with  cautious  management,  and  not  unlike  the 
'  leaning  note'  of  song,  be  caried  by  a  blending  quantity  from  con- 
crete to  concrete,  in  a  reverentive  drift  of  deliberate  dignity  ;  the 
necesary  emphasis  being  made  by  a  comparative  exces  of  quantity, 
with  the  impresive  and  graceful  gliding  of  the  median  stres. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  notice  the  faults  of  emphatic  stres,  in 
the  comon  meaning  of  the  term.  They  all  resolve  into  a  want  of 
true  aprehension  on  the  part  of  the  reader.  In  ignorance  of  other 
constituents  of  an  enlarged  and  definite  elocution,  which  our  pres- 
ent inquiry  has  taught  us  to  apreciate  and  to  recomend,  this  well 
known  subject  of  stres-laying  emphasis,  has  always  been  considered 
of  the  first  importance  in  the  art ;  and  unfortunately  in  the  school 
of  imitation,  it  has  under  the  critical  term  Reading,  restrictively 
asumed,  at  least  a  nominal  superiority  over  the  other  modes  of 
speech.  'How  admirably  she  reads,'  said  an  idle  critic,  of  an 
actres,  who,  with  perhaps  a  pro})er  emphasis  of  Force,  was  de- 
forming her  uterance,  by  every  fault  of  Time  and  Intonation. 
The  critic  was  one  of  those  who  having  neither  knowledge  nor 
docility,  deserved  neither  argument  nor  corection.  Emphasis  of 
stres,  being  almost  the  only  branch  of  elocution  in  which  there  is 
an  aproach  towards  a  practical  rule,  this  single  function,  under  an 
ignorance  of  other  modes  of  emphatic  distinction,  has,  by  a  figure 
of  speech  grounded  on  its  real  importance,  been  asumed  in  the 
limited  nomenclature  of  criticism,  as  almost  the  sole  esential  of 
the  art.  Even  Mr.  Kemble,  whose  eulogy  should  have  been 
founded  on  whatever-  other  merits  he  may  have  posesed,  made,  if 
we  have  not  been  misinformed,  the  first  stir  of  his  fame,  by  a  new 
'  reading,'  or  a  new  discriminative  stres,  in  a  particular  scene  of 
Haridet.  Under  this  view,  it  would  folow,  that  he  who  ])roperly 
aplies  the  emphasis  of  force,  in  the  Art  of  Reading,  acomplishes 
all  its  purpose ;  he  reads,  or  he  acentuates  well. 

We  have  awarded  to  the  emphasis  of  force  its  due,  but  not  its 
undue  degree  of  consequence ;  and  it  may  be  hereafter  admited, 
that  much  of  the  contention  about  certain  unimportant  points  of 
this  stres-laying  emphasis,  and  of  pause,  has  arisen  from  critics 


532  FAULTS    OF    READERS. 

finding  very  little  else  of  the  vast  compas  of  speech,  on  Avhich  they 
were  able  to  form  for  themselves  a  determinate  opinion.  When, 
under  a  scientific  institute  of  elocution,  there  Mall  be  more  im- 
portant maters  to  study,  and  delight  in,  it  may  perhaps  be  foundj 
much  of  this  trifling  lore  of  italic  notation,  now  seryiug  to  keep 
up  comonplace  contention  in  a  daily  gazette,  will  be  quite  over- 
looked, in  the  high  court  of  philosophic  criticism.* 

We  do  not  speak  of  the  faults  of  pronunciation,  depending  on 

*  Some  one,  of  those  who  like  to  make  busines  in  an  art,  rather  than  to  do 
it,  has  raised  a  question  whether  the  folowing  lines  from  Macbeth,  should  be 
read  with  an  acent  and  a  pause  at  baners  or  at  walls  : 

Mac.  Hang  out  our  baners  on  the  outward  walls 
The  cry  is  still,  They  come. 

To  those  whose  elocution  consists  in  such  ridles,  we  propose  the  folowing, 
from  Goldsmith : 

A  man  he  was,  to  all  the  country  dear. 
And  pasing  rich  with  forty  pounds  a  year. 

Let  them  gues  variously,  or  sharply  dispute,  upon  the  question  of  aplying 
an  emphasis  on  pasing,  or  on  rich  ;  thereby  to  determine  either  that  the  good 
Village  Parson  w&s pasing  or  superlatively  rich,  with  his  forty  pounds  ;  or  that 
he  pascd  among  his  parishioners,  as  only  very  well-off  in  the  world. 

I  some  time  ago  noticed  the  folowing  punctuation,  in  one  of  those  wandering 
Actors  known  as  Stars. 

I'll  call  thee  Hamlet, 
King,  Father  ;    Koyal  Dane  O  answer  me. 

Perhaps,  after  writing  the  words  King  and  Father,  the  Poet's  choiceful  ear 
was  deluded  into  the  repetition  Royal  Dane,  by  the  fine  variety  of  elemental 
sound,  and  rythmic  acent  and  quantity  in  the  Title.  The  ambitious  reading 
of  the  Star  was  worse  than  careles,  without  an  apologyj  by  imploring  em- 
phaticaly  of  the  Royal  Dane  what  he  would  not  of  Hamlet,  King,  and  Father. 

1  heard  another  eratic  Star  of  critical  ilumination,  read  thus  : 

How  fares  our  Cousin  Hamlet  ? 
Ham.  Excelent,  i'  faith,  of  the  chamelion's  dish  I  eat;  the  air  promise- 
cram  ed. 

Leaving  it  to  a  brighter  star-light  to  show,  whether  Hamlet,  or  the  air  was 
inconsiderately  cranied. 

Many  persons  who  might  be  profitably  hired  to  Square  Timber,  make-show 
of  doing  something,  by  idly  whitling  sticks. 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  533 

misplaced  verbal  or  gramatical  acents.  Propriety  in  this  mater 
is  set- forth  in  the  dictionary,  and  the  erors  of  speech  may  be  meas- 
ured by  its  conventional  rules.  Xor  is  it  within  the  purpose  of  this 
esay  to  notice  faults  in  the  pronunciation  of  the  alj)hal)etic  ele- 
ments. Criticism  should  be  modest  on  this  pointj  till  it  has  the 
mental  independence  to  give  to  the  literal  symbols  of  those  ele- 
ments, and  to  their  redundant,  and  defective  uses,  more  of  the  char- 
acter of  a  work  of  wisdom,  than  they  have  ever  receved  in  any 
writen  language ;  till  the  pardonable  variety  of  pronunciation,  and 
the  ear-directed  speling  by  the  vulgar,  have  satirized  into  reforma- 
tion, that  scholastic  pencraft  which  keeps  up  the  dificulties  of  6r- 
thography,  with  no  other  purpose,  it  would  seem,  than  to  pride 
itself  in  the  use  of  a  troublesome  and  awkward  system,  as  a  crite- 
rion of  education^  and  with  the  tyranny  of  habit,  to  opose  every 
promising  atempt  to  corect  it. 

Of  Faults  in  Pitch.  Speech  has  been  especialy,  one  of  those 
many  subjects,  in  which  we  often  pronounce  upon  the  right  and 
the  wrong,  without  being  able  to  say  why  they  are  so.  If  we 
have  resolved  the  obscurity  in  respect  to  the  proprieties  of  intona- 
tion; it  will  not  be  dificult  on  similar  principles,  to  give  some 
explanation  of  its  faults. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Concrete  Movement.  I  have  more  than  once 
spoken  of  that  peculiar  characteristic  of  speech,  the  full  opening, 
the  gradual  decrease,  and  the  delicate  termination  of  the  concrete. 
As  this  structure  is  destroyed  by  the  use  both  of  the  vanishing,  and 
the  thoro  stres,  the  misaplication  of  either  must  be  regarded  as 
a  fault.  The  vanishing  stres,  exemplified  by  the  upward  jerk  in 
some  of  the  Irish  people,  produces  a  peculiar  monotony,  when 
continued  in  discourse;  and  the  thoro,  if  not  used  for  especial 
emphasis,  or  designed  incivility,  is  a  striking  and  a  vulgar  fault. 
Every  one  must  be  familiar  with  what  is  caled  a  coarse  and  un- 
manerly  tone.  This,  as  regards  the  structure  of  the  concrete,  was 
formerly  shown  to  be  the  efect  of  the  last  named  stress.  Some 
readers  seem  incapable  of  giving  the  equable  concrete  on  a  long 
quantity ;  substituting  in  place  of  it,  the  note  of  song.  The  most 
remarkable  instance  of  this  speech-singing,  is  that  of  the  public 
preaching  of  the  Friends,  to  be  particularly  described  among  the 
faults  in  melody. 


534  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

Oj  Faults  in  the  Semitone.  Who  has  not  heard  of  whining? 
It  is  the  misplaced  use  of  the  semitone.  The  semitone  is  the 
vocal  sign  of  tendernes,  petition,  complaint,  and  doubtful  suplica- 
tion  :  but  never  of  manly  confidence,  and  the  authoritative  self- 
reliance  of  truth.  It  is  this  which  betrays  the  sycophant,  and 
even  the  crafty  hypocrite  himself.  They  asume  a  plaintive  per- 
suasion, or  a  tuneful  cant,  not  merely  to  implyj  they  are  prompted 
by  a  kindly  and  afectionate  state  of  mind,  but  sometimes  because 
they  distrust  or  despise  themselves,  and  are  therefore  influenced 
by  the  mental  state  of  servility.  Suspicion  should  therefore  be 
awake,  when  the  show  of  truth  or  benevolence  is  proifered  under 
the  cringing  whine  of  this  expresive  interval ;  and  in  general,  when- 
ever the  semitone  is  used  for  a  state  of  mind  that  does  not  call  for  it. 
A  beggar  should,  by  the  instinct  of  his  voice,  plaintively  implore ; 
and  it  is  equaly  a  law  of  nature,  which  abhors  hypocrisy  no  less 
than  a  vacuum,  that  he  should  give  the  truth  of  his  narative  in  a 
more  confident  intonation. 

The  chromatic  melody  is  comon  among  women.  Actreses  are 
prone  to  this  fault ;  and  it  is  one  of  the  causes  which  frequently 
prevent  their  asuming  the  matron-role  of  tragedy,  and  the  dignified 
severity  of  epic,  and  dramatic  elocution.  AVomen  sometimes  in- 
tercede, threaten,  complain,  smile,  and  call  the  footman,  all  in  the 
minor  third  or  the  semitone.  They  can  vow,  and  love,  and  burst 
into  agony  in  Belvidera ;  but  rarely  by  masculine  personation  and 
diatonic  energy,  'chastise  with  the  (orotund)  valor  of  their  tongue,' 
and  gravely  order  the  scheme  of  murder  in  Lady  INIacbeth. 

We  have  described  the  states  of  mind  signified  by  the  semitone. 
Whenever  it  suplants  the  proper  diatonic  melody,  it  becomes  a 
fault,  and  begins  to  be  monotonous ;  for  when  apropriate  it  never 
is  so.  I  once  heard  the  part  of  Dr.  Cantwell,  in  the  Hj/pocrite, 
played  in  the  chromatic  melody.  Perhaps  it  suited  the  pretensions 
of  the  pious  vilain,  but  it  certainly  was  a  paling  monotony  to  the 
ear ;  and  the  want  of  transition,  when  he  threw  off  the  mask,  in 
adressing  his  patron's  wife,  was  remarkable,  lie  was  the  righteous 
knave  and  the  pasionate  lover,  all  in  the  same  intonation.  The 
efect  would  have  been  more  a]ii)roj)riate  and  agreeable,  if  an  abated, 
slow,  and  monotonous  drift  of  the  second  had  prevailetlj  with  the 
use  of  the  chromatic  melody,  when  required  by  the  pasion. 


FAULTS   OF    READERS.  535 

Of  Faults  in  the  Second.  The  car  lias  its  green  as  avcII  as  the 
eye ;  and  tlic  plain  interval  of  the  second  in  curent  and  elegant 
speech,  like  the  verdure  of  the  earth,  is  wisely  designed,  to  releve 
its  respective  sense  from  the  fatiguing  stimulus  of  undue,  and  more 
vivid  impresions.  The  diatonic  melody,  in  a  well  composed  elo- 
cution, is  simple  and  unobtrusive,  and  thereby  afords  a  ground-hue 
for  bringing-out  the  contrasted  color  of  expresive  intervals ;  yet  it 
does,  when  continued  into  the  place  of  this  wider  intonation,  asume 
a  positive  character,  under  the  form  of  a  fault. 

A  striking  instance  of  misaplication  of  the  second,  is  its  em- 
ployment for  that  state  of  mind  which  properly  requires  the  semi- 
tone. I  formerly  spoke  of  its  false  expresion,  ocasionaly  heard  in 
the  public  cry  of  Fire.  Some  persons  are  of  such  a  frigid  tem- 
perament, or  have  such  inflexible  organs,  even  when  a  degree  of 
warmth  does  not  seem  to  be  wanting,  as  to  apear  incapable  under 
ordinary  motives,  of  executing  the  chromatic  melody.  Pain,  or 
a  selfish  instinct  may  force  it  on  the  voice;  yet,  in  them,  it  is  so 
slightly  conected  with  tendernes,  or  so  little  under  comand,  that 
the  most  pathetic  pasages  are  given  in  the  comparatively  phleg- 
matic intonation  of  the  diatonic  melody.  We  sometimes  see  an 
Actor  of  this  unchanging  drift  of  temper,  cast,  on  the  emergencies 
of  a  night,  to  the  part  of  a  lover :  and  may  ocasionaly  hear  from 
the  pulpit,  fervent  apeals  of  the  Litany,  and  humble  petitions  of 
extemporary  prayer,  under  an  intonation,  more  apropriate  to  the 
task  of  repeating  the  multiplication  table. 

Some  speakers  make  an  over-use  of  the  second ;  for  even  this 
plain  and  inexpresive  interval  when  misj^laced,  so  defeats  the  pur- 
])Oses  of  speech  that  we  are  sometimes  more  indebted  to  gramatical 
construction,  than  to  the  voice,  for  a  perception  of  their  interoga- 
tives.  It  is  the  same  too  with  their  emphasis,  in  those  conditional 
and  positive  sentences  which,  for  impresive  and  varied  efect,  re- 
spectively require  the  rising,  and  the  faling  interval  of  the  third, 
or  fifth,  or  octave. 

The  most  important  function  of  the  second,  consists  in  the 
succsions  of  the  diatonic  melody.  The  character  of  these  suces- 
ions,  as  we  learned  in  the  eighth  section,  is  produced  by  a  varied 
composition  of  the  seven  phrases.  "We  have  now  to  learn  how 
far  the  comon  practice  of  readers,  deviates  from  the  described. 


536  FAULTS   OF   EEADERS. 

but  perhaps  as  yet  only  described,  perfection  of  a  pure  diatonic 
melody. 

Oj  Faults  in  the  Melody  of  Speech.  If  the  rule  laid  down  in  this 
esay  for  constructing  an  agreeable  sucesion  of  diatonic  phrases,  is 
founded  in  propriety  and  taste,  I  must  declare,  I  have  never  yet 
heard  its  conditions  strictly  fulfiled,  in  a  well  aranged,  and  satis- 
factory melody.  Players  spend  their  time  before  mirors,  till  grace 
of  person  is  studied  into  manerism,  and  expresion  of  feature  dis- 
torted into  grimace.  Emphasis  of  stres  too,  is  teazed  with  experi- 
ment, on  every  word  of  a  sentence,  and  tested  in  authority,  by  all 
the  traditions  of  the  Green-Room :  but  who  has  ever  thot  of  any 
asignable  rules  for  the  sucesions  of  sylabic  pitch  in  a  curent 
melody,  or  suposed  therein,  the  existence  of  describable  faults ! 

The  First  fault  to  be  noticed,  is  the  continued  use  of  the  mono- 
tone, on  the  same  line  of  radical  pitch ;  the  vanish  of  the  second 
or  of  wider  intervals,  being  properly  performed.  I  do  not  here 
mean  the  drawl  of  the  parish-clerk,  nor  the  monotony  of  the 
reading-clerk  of  most  public  assemblies;  for  these  are  sometimes 
the  note  of  song,  and  wdll  be  spoken-of  presently.  The  unvaried 
line  of  radical  pitch,  now  under  consideration,  is  not  so  glaring  as 
this  old  conventicle-tune,  nor  has  it  at  all  the  character  of  song. 
If  the  Reader  were  near  me,  I  would  ilustrate  the  peculiarity  of 
this  fault ;  and  I  can  only  describe  it,  as  preventing  the  agreeable 
efect,  arising  from  the  contrast  of  pitch ;  the  transition  in  the 
case  of  a  continued  monotone,  with  a  rising  concrete,  being  from 
a  feeble  vanish  to  a  fuller  radical,  only  one  tone  below  the  sum- 
mit of  that  vanish ;  in  the  faling-ditone  sucesion  of  a  varied 
melody,  the  distance  is  two  tones  below  the  sumit  of  the  preceding 
vanish. 

One  of  the  causes  of  this  fixult  in  public  speakers,  deserves  to 
be  noticed  here.  I  spoke  of  vociferation  as  a  means  for  imparting 
vigor  and  fulnes  to  the  voice ;  but  this  exercise  being  usualy  on  a 
higlier  curent,  tends  to  prevent  a  pro})cr  variation  of  the  melody 
of  speech.  Speakers  who  adress  large  asemblies,  and  who  Iiave 
not  that  clear  vocality  and  distinct  articulation  which  would  insure 
the  recpiired  reach  of  voice,  generally  atcmpt  to  remedy  the  dofoct, 
by  rising  to  iha  utmost  limit  of  the  natural  compas,  and  continu- 
ing their  current  just  below  the  falsete.     For  fear  of  breaking 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  537 

into  this,  tlicy  avoid  the  rising-  phi'coses  of  melody ;  while  the  pur- 
pose to  be  distantly  heard  in  an  elevated  pitch,  prevents  tlieir 
descending  by  radical  change.  They  consequently  continue  on 
one  monotonous  line  near  the  falsete,  and  vitiate  their  taste  by  the 
partial  pleas  of  their  own  example ;  restrain  tlieir  melodial  flexi- 
bility ;  and  blunt  their  perception  of  the  variety  of  movement  in 
a  more  reduced  curent  of  pitch.* 

Second.  ]Melody  is  deformed  by  a  predominance  of  the  phrase 
of  the  monotone,  together  with  a  full  cadence  at  every  pause. 
This  i)erhaps  is  only  found  in  the  first  atempts  at  reading  by 
children  and  rustics. 

Third.  By  a  proper  use  of  the  phrases  of  melody  within  a 
limited  extent,  but  with  a  formal  return  of  the  same  sucesions. 
In  this  case,  the  whole  discourse  is  subdivided  into  sections,  re- 
sembling each  other  in  the  order  of  pitch;  the  sections  consisting 
of  entire  sentences,  or  of  their  members.  This  habit  of  the  voice 
and  ear,  in  dividing  the  melody  into  sections,  as  well  as  in  forming 
acentual  and  pausal  divisions,  seems  to  be  conected  with  one  of 
the  characters  of  style :  for  there  is  a  tendency  in  some  persons 
to  give  a  like  construction,  and  often  an  equal  length  to  their 
sentences. 

All  Actors,  except  those  of  the  first  class,  and  they  are  not  as 
finished  on  this  point  as  they  may  be  hereafterj  are  prone  to  this 
bird-like  kind  of  intonation.  They  have  a  short  run  of  melody, 
which  if  not  forcibly  interupted  by  some  peculiar  expression,  is 
constantly  recurring.  The  return  forms  a  kind  of  melodial  meas- 
ure :  and  I  now  call  to  mind  an  Actres  of  great  repute,  whose 
intonation  was  filled  with  emphasis  of  thirds,  fifths,  octaves,  and 
waves ;  and  whose  sections  of  melody  could  be  anticipated,  with 
something  like  the  forerunning  of  the  mind  over  the  rythmus 
of  a  coraon  stanza  of  alternate  versification.  Those  who  com  it 
this  fault,  will  have  no  dificulty  in  recognizing  and  corecting  it, 

*  This  cause  operates  on  the  enthusiasts  of  the  Pulpit;  on  many  of  the 
speakers,  and  always  on  the  clerk  of  the  Lowe?-  House  of  the  American  Con- 
gress ;  where  the  scrambling  cries  to  be  first  heard,  with  the  uproar  of  titular 
Honorables,  overrule  the  gentlemanly  rights,  and  duties  of  the  voice  ;  but  it  is 
most  remarkable  in  the  mouth  of  the  stump  and  scaffold  Demagogue,  whose 
own  political  designs  lead  him  to  address  great  crowds  in  the  open  air. 
35 


538  FAULTS    OF    EEADERS. 

if  desirable,  when  the  mirror  of  full  and  exact  description  is  held 
before  them. 

The  monotonous  efect  of  a  repetition  of  these  similar  melodial 
sections,  constitutes  one  of  the  signs  by  which  the  smart  apren- 
tices  of  the  Pit,  and  some  of  their  beter-dresed  peers  in  the 
Boxes,  distmguish  the  voices  of  famous  Actors,  and  think  they 
represent  their  real  points  of  excelence,  when  they  mimic  only 
the  manerism  of  their  faults.  This  recuring  section  of  a  similar 
melody  may  in  itself,  consist  of  a  proper  sucesion  of  phrases : 
but  being  unvaried,  you  hear  it  too  often  and  remember  it  too 
well.  The  whole  curent  in  this  case,  figuratively  resembles  the 
old  Roman  Festoon,  which  however  well  adapted  to  an  insulated 
tablet,  was  in  abasement  of  Greek  architectural  taste,  joined  in 
monotonous  repetition  around  the  frieze ;  instead  of  representing, 
as  a  just  melody  might,  that  succession  of  sculpture,  which  in 
severe  simplicity  and  expresive  design  adorned  the  varied  metopes 
of  the  Parthenon. 

Fourth.  I  have  known  more  than  one  speaker  with  this  fiiult. 
Sentences  are  begun  aloud  on  a  high,  and  ended  alrhost  inaudibly 
on  a  low  degree  of  pitch ;  and  so  continued  during  a  whole  dis- 
course ;  producing  a  monotony,  similar  in  efect,  to  that  last  de- 
scribed. It  would  be  dificult  to  find  out  the  meaning  of  this  fault, 
or  to  discover  such  a  shadow  of  apology  for  it,  as  many  worse 
ofenses  in  life  might  claim  for  themselves.  One  speaker  whom  I 
knew,  with  this  striking  afectatiouj  for  no  instinctive,  nor  conven- 
tional motive  could  ever  have  directed  itj  was,  first  by  himself  it  is 
presumed,  and  then  by  the  asociates  of  his  long  since  departed  day 
of  popularity,  called  '  a  fine  reader.'  Such  instances  of  fame  may 
serve  to  convince  us,  that  with  all  our  blind  conceitsj  and  who 
among  us  is  without  them j  there  is  no  art,  except  that  of  Thinhing, 
in  which  self-imposition  is  more  conspicuous  tlian  in  Elocution. 
Without  an  acknowledged  rule  of  excelence,  every  individual, 
cultivated  or  not,  makes  his  own  individual  taste  the  standard. 
Having  learned  that  it  is  the  part  of  a  good  reader  to  represent 
the  thot  and  pasion  of  discourse,  and  as  each  in  his  atempt,  fulfils 
his  oion  conception  of  an  author,  he  is  self-persuaded,  that  he  ])os- 
eses  the  full  power  of  the  art.  This  is  one  cause  why  Ave  find  so 
much  delusion  on  this  subject.     For,  reputed  '  good  readers '  are 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  539 

often  not  merely  negatively  deficient;  they  are  often  positively 
bad :  and  perverse  as  it  may  seem,  to  the  overbearing  aplauses  of 
a  majority,  I  have  frequently  gone  to  observe  the  faults  of  speak- 
ers, when  caled  to  hear  some  '  star '  of  elocution,  even  when  that 
star  was  himself  a  Teacher  of  the  Art.  Loud  whoops  and  yells 
have  always  been  'the  vocal  delight  of  savages  ;  and  noise  of  every 
kind  is  the  pastime  substitute  for  reflection  in  ignorant  civiliza- 
tion :  so  an  exagerated  and  consequently  striking  character  of  the 
constituents  of  speech,  is  always  most  agreeable  to  the  uninstructed 
ear. 

Fifth.  The  manner  of  changing  the  pitch  from  one  degree  to 
another,  above  or  below  it,  in  the  diatonic  melody,  was  shown  in 
the  eighth  section.  An  inability  to  comand  the  radical  change, 
not  only  prevents  variety  of  intonation,  but  embarases  a  reader  in 
pasing  from  a  very  high  or  very  low  pitch,  when  he  has  improp- 
erly set  out  in  either.  Speakers  sometimes  descend  so  for,  as  to 
leave  no  voice  below  the  line  of  curent  melody,  to  alow  an  audible 
execution  of  the  last  constituent  of  the  cadence.  In  this  case,  they 
perceve  the  feeble  and  unsatisfactory  efect  of  their  intonation, 
without  knowing  the  cause  of  it,  and  being  able  to  aply  the 
remedy.  By  the  rules  of  a  proper  melodial  progresion,  and  of  the 
maner  in  which  the  cadence  descends,  the  fault  here  pointed  out 
may  be  avoided. 

AVe  noticed  formerly,  that  a  reader,  with  a  good  ear,  has  a  sort 
of  ^recursive  perception  of  the  falsete,  which  enables  him  to  turn 
from  it,  when  his  melody  is  moving  near  the  sumit  of  his  natural 
voice.  A  similar  anticipation  of  the  lowest  note,  warns  him  to 
keep  his  cadence  within  the  limit  of  distinct  articulation. 

Sixth.  The  use  of  the  protracted  radical,  or  protracted  vanish, 
instead  of  the  equable  concrete,  is  one  of  the  widest  deviations 
from  the  characteristic  of  speech.  For,'  a  proper  diatonic  melody 
consists  of  an  equable  movement  on  the  interval  of  a  second,  with 
an  agreeably  varied  radical  change  thru  the  same  space ;  the  curent 
being  ocasionaly  broken  by  wider  equable  intervals,  and  by  difer- 
ent  forms  of  stres,  as  the  subject  may  require  these  aditions  upon 
individual  words. 

Inasmuch  as  this  fault  includes  that  of  long  quantity,  it  is  not 
often  heard  in  the  hasty  uterances  of  comon  life.    I  have  however. 


540  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

met  with  a  slight  degree  of  it  in  a  phlegmatic  clrawler.  Public 
speakers  overwrot  by  excitement,  and  straining  their  throats  to 
be  heardj  I  say,  straining  their  throats,  instead  of  energizing  their 
voices,  are  most  liable  to  this  eror  of  intonation.  Some  cases  of 
this  fault  are  conected  with  a  monotonous  curent  melody,  and  a 
very  defective  management  of  the  cadence.  I  heard  it  under  the 
form  of  the  protracted  radical,  along  with  other  heinous  ofenses 
against  good  elocution,  in  one  of  the  public's  'great  Actors.'  It 
w^as  most  remarkable  in  his  endeavor  to  give  long  quantity  to  short 
sylables ;  as  in  the  folowing  words  of  Macbeth : 

Canst  thou  not  m — inister  to  a  m — ind  diseasedj 
PI — uck  from  the  m — emory. 

I  have  here  set  a  dash  after  the  leters  on  which  he  continued  the 
protracted  radical,  until  it  sudenly  vanished  in  the  termination  of 
the  sylable.  The  Actor's  fault  was  the  ering  exercise  of  a  vocal 
instinct.  He  perceved  obscurely,  the  need  of  long  quantity  for 
the  purpose  of  exj^resion  ;  but  being  one  of  those,  who  having  some 
animal  excitability,  no  education,  little  intelect,  and  an  inverse  pro- 
portion of  vanity j  are  always  looking  upon  themselves  as  the  center 
of  aplausej  it  did  not  ocur  to  him,  that  the  prolongation  of  a 
mutable  sylable,  might  be  deformed  by  an  undue  quantity ;  and 
that  a  subtonic  at  the  begining  of  a  sylable,  makes  no  part  of  the 
equable  concrete ;  two  points  of  knowledge  that  would  long  ago 
have  been  prepared  for  his  ear  and  tonguej  if  there  had  been  in 
the  Histrionic  art,  more  observation,  and  reflectionj  with  less  re- 
liance on  the  dream  of ' Identity,'  and  the  fatal  delusion  of  'Inborn 
Genius.' 

Seventh.  The  fault  of  melody  wc  are  now  about  to  consider,  is 
somewhat  related  to  the  last  described  misuse  of  the  protracted 
notes.  It  includes  some  other  forms  of  intonation,  proper  to 
song :  the  whole  being  confused  in  such  a  manner  with  the  equable 
concrete,  as  to  destroy  every  design  of  speech,  and  to  furnish,  even 
beyond  Ilccitiitive,  the  ultra  example  of  vociil  deformity. 

In  the  history  of  man,  nothing  is  more  indefinite  than  descrip- 
tions of  the  voice :  still  there  is  ground  to  belevej  this  extravagant 
melody  is  the  same  as  the  Puritanical  whine,  afected  so  generaly 
in  religious  worship  by  the  English  Church,  above  two  hundred 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  541 

years  ago,  and  which  has  been  changed  to  other  faults  scarcely  less 
censurable,  in  the  pulpit  of  the  present  day.  The  Society  of 
Friends  alone  have  retained  it  as  a  general  practice :  and  it  will 
not  be  regarded  as  either  idle  or  invidious,  to  look  into  the 
structure  of  this  most  remarkable  intonation,  by  the  light  of  our 
preceding  analysis. 

I  first  give  the  notation  of  this  melody,  and  will  afterwards 
particularly  explain  it. 

I  heard       a         voice      from      heav'n     saying,      write, 


^^4^-Al^^ 


^ 


^f5 


^. 


^- 


bless — ed       are  the     dead  who  die     in  the  Lord. 


jiR-~^^^-^-^<sf- 


I  have  spoken  of  the  Minor  Third  as  belonging  to  the  plaintive 
scale  of  song.  A  melody  founded  on  a  curent,  even  of  the  equa- 
ble concrete  of  a  minor  third,  has  that  peculiar  character  which 
forbids  its  use  in  speech.  The  above  example  is,  with  a  few  ex- 
ceptions, a  melody  of  minor  thirds,  not  in  the  equable  concrete, 
but  in  the  note  of  song ;  and  its  monotonous  whine  is  produced  by 
the  drift  of  that  ofensive  intonation. 

Upon  this  staff,  let  the  third  be  minor.  Then  the  first  and 
second  sylables  are  protracted  vanishes  upon  a  concrete  minor  third. 
A,  and  voice,  are  protracted  radicals  to  a  concrete  descent  of  the 
same  interval.  From,  is  a  protracted  radical  to  the  rising  inter- 
val of  a  minor  third.  Ileav'n,  is  a  minor  third  of  the  same  form 
with  voice.  The  two  sylables  of  saying,  are  equable  concretes  of 
speech,  respectively,  of  an  upward  and  downward  tone.  The  rest 
severaly  resemble  those  already  described;  except  who,  which 
begins  with  a  protracted  radical  to  a  direct  wave  of  the  minor 
third,  and  terminates  in  a  protracted  vanish,  on  its  downward 
constituent. 


542  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

In  the  execution  of  this  melody,  there  is  besides  the  general  efect 
of  a  disagreeable  and  monotonous  songj  a  peculiar  and  striking 
contrast,  from  the  various  changes  among  these  diferent  forms  of 
intonation.  The  most  extraordinary  liberties  are  taken  with  quan- 
tity. The  long  however,  necesary  for  the  note  of  song,  predomi- 
nates. No  distinction  is  here  made  between  i  mutable,  and  indefinite 
sylables  :  the  short  are  prolonged  to  any  extent ;  and  both  the  long 
and  tlie  short  are  divided ;  one  portion  is  given  to  the  protracted 
radical  or  vanish,  the  other  to  the  concrete :  as  in  fro-m  and  di-e. 
I  have  introduced  the  equable  concrete  of  speech  among  the  pro- 
tracted notes,  and  have  employed  the  diatonic  ciidence  to  exemplify 
those  abrupt  and  rouzing  changes  of  intonation,  sometimes  made 
in  the  course,  and  at  the  close  of  this  fantastic  and  singing  melody. 
I  do  not  further  describe  its  varieties,  in  the  use  of  the  above 
named  constituents,  together  with  the  tremor,  and  the  wider  inter- 
vals that  may  be  combined  with  them ;  having  shown  enough  to 
furnish  a  plan  for  self-examination  and  amendment. 

Should  those  who  are  acustomed  to  this  melody  askj  why  it 
may  not  be  employed,  if  by  habit  agreeable,  and  reverenced  in 
the  serious  ocasions  of  its  use ;  I  answerj  that,  throwing  aside  taste, 
as  arbitrary,  and  regarding  usefulnes  alone,  it  has  no  fitnes  for  its 
intended  jiurpose,  and  does  not  acomplish  the  atainable  ends  of 
speech.  By  speech  we  comunicate  our  thots  and  expres  our 
passions ;  and  in  the  duties  of  religion,  there  should  be  motives 
and  zeal,  to  do  it  with  the  most  forcible  means  of  persuasion  and 
argument.  So  far  as  the  voice  is  concerned,  these  means  lie  prin- 
cipaly  in  the  energy  and  expresion  of  intonated  emphasis ;  but  in 
thi§  remarkable  melody,  the  designs  of  a  just  and  varying  intona- 
tion are  counteracted  by  the  almost  continued  impresion  of  a  plain- 
tive song;  or  are  crosed  in  purpose  by  the  unmeaning  obtrusion  of 
unexpected  changes.  How  can  the  states  of  mind  which  direct  a 
dignified  fulnes  of  voice,  for  the  encouraging  descriptions  of  bles- 
edues  and  glory,  be  represented  by  the  trembling  voice  of  distres? 
How  can  the  positive  conclusions  of  truth,  and  the  wonder  at 
almighty  power,  requiring  the  downward  concrete,  be  enforced  by 
the  shrihies  of  a  perpetual  cry?  How  can  we  particularize  tlie 
mentiil  state  of  suplication,  by  the  semitone,  if  we  cipialy  employ 
it  in  the  threats  of  vengeance?     And  with  what  force  can  we 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  543 

represent  interogation,  if  the  wider  intervals  instinctively  alotted 
to  it,  are  so  often  unmeaningly  heard  in  the  voice  ? 

Whoever  regards  the  words  of  ordinary  song,  knows  how  em- 
phasis is  there  confounded.  It  is  still  less  clear  and  corect  in  the 
kind  of  melody  we  are  now  considering. 

I  have  made  the  strongest  representation  of  this  fault.  It  is 
sometimes  heard  in  a  more  moderate  degree,  especially  in  the  voices 
of  women ;  consisting  of  a  slight  protraction  of  the  vanish,  on  all 
the  long  quantities  of  discourse. 

This  singing  melody,  delivered  in  the  public  Meeting-house,  by 
men,  as  well  as  women,  is  generaly  of  a  high  or  piercing  pitch ; 
this  being  the  means  of  audibility  usualy  employed  by  persons  of 
uncultivated  voice. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Cadence.  Speech  is  particularly  liable  to  faults 
in  the  sucesions  of  the  radical  pitch  of  melody,  and  of  the  cadence. 
Even  the  best  readers  do  not  seem  to  have  acidentaly  reached  an 
atainable  variety,  in  the  execution  of  the  curent,  and  the  close  of 
discourse.     Faults  in  the  cadence  are  however  the  most  striking. 

AVe  can  asign  a  caiLse  for  the  frequent  failures  upon  this  point. 

Whoever  closely  observes  the  character  of  speech,  in  comon  dia- 
logue, must  perceve  that  the  earnest  interests  which  govern  it,  the 
sharp  replications  and  iuteruptions  of  argument,  and  the  piercing 
pitch  of  mirth  and  anger,  exclude  in  a  great  measure,  the  termi- 
nating repose  of  the  cadence.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with 
children  and  the  ignorant,  who  having  no  motive  either  of  action 
or  speech,  except  interested  curiosity  and  selfish  pasion,  rarely 
employ  any  other  than  the  wider  and  more  expresive  intervals  of 
intonation.  When  therefore  a  person  first  undertakes  to  read,  M'ith 
the  serious  i^urpose  of  a  dignified  elocution,  the  impasioned  habit  is 
too  inveterate  to  be  at  once  laid  asidej  and  a  disposition  to  keep 
up  the  coloquial  characteristic  of  speech,  extending  itself  to  the 
place  of  the  cadence,  defers  for  a  long  time,  the  ability  to  give 
with  propriety  and  taste,  the  more  composed  and  the  graver  2)urpose 
of  the  terminative  phrase. 

Faults  in  the  execution  of  the  cadence  are  various.  The  most 
remarkable  instance  within  my  memory,  is  that  of  a  clergyman, 
who  in  an  address  of  nearly  ten  minutes'  duration,  never,  to  ray 
observation,  made  a  cadencej  not  even  at  his  final  period.     The 


544  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

audience  were  sudenly  notified  to  sit  down,  by  his  terminative 
Amen,  not  by  the  proper  indication  of  the  close  by  his  voice. 

Even  those  who  have  the  ability  to  make  a  cadence  are  infected 
by  the  next  fault  to  be  mentioned. 

I  described  the  various  forms  of  the  cadence.  This  was  done 
to  point  out  all  the  distinctions  that  may  be  criticaly  made  by  an 
acurate  ear,  and  may  perhaps  be  regarded  in  some  future  school 
of  elocution.  For  present  purposes,  we  may  particularize  the 
Feeble,  the  Duad,  'the  Triad,  and  the  Prepared  cadences.  These 
are  quite  suficient  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  readings  and  vocal 
skill  can  always  give  an  interchangeable  variety  of  them,  in  the 
sucesion  of  periods.  The  next  fault  then  consists  in  a  repetition 
at  every  pause,  of  the  same  kind  of  cadence,  and  that  generaly  the 
full  or  second  form  of  the  Triad.  This  fault  is  increased  by  comon 
punctuation,  which  often  sets  a  period  at  places,  Avhere  the  voice 
should  be  only  suspended  by  the  phrase  of  the  downward  ditone. 
A  want  of  nicety  too  in  varying  the  cadence  acording  to  the  in- 
dication of  the  close,  is  a  very  general  fault :  for  there  is  great 
clearnes  given  to  discourse,  by  the  just  discernment,  that  asigns  a 
less  reposing,  or  the  feeble  cadence,  to  loose  sentences,  or  doubtful 
periods,  and  the  full  and  prepared,  to  the  end  of  a  paragraph  or 
chapter. 

I  once  heard  an  Actor  of  high  character  use,  and  not  unfre- 
quently,  what  we  formerly  called  a  false  cadence ;  or  a  descent  of 
the  third  by  radical  changej  the  second  constituent  of  the  Triad 
being  altogether  omited.  This  false  cadence  is  sometimes  made  on 
a  wider  discrete  interval j  the  voice  sudenly  faling  a  fifth  or  even 
an  octave,  if  the  pitch  has  been  high  enough  to  alow  these  de- 
scents. 

Some  persons  are  in  the  habit  of  making  the  cadence  in  a  low 
and  almost  inaudible  pitch.  In  this  case  the  Avant  of  an  anticij)a- 
tive  ear,  prevents  a  reader  from  hiting  the  precise  placQ  for  his 
cadence.  One  who  has  not  this  skill,  n\ay  know  the  period-pause 
is  at  hand,  and  that  the  voice  should  descend ;  but  ignorant  at 
what  point  he  ought  to  begin,  and  under  fear  of  faling  precipitately 
u])on  the  close,  he  ])repares  for  it  too  soon.  A  downward  second 
or  ditone  is  first  made,  and  some  instinct  preventing  him  adding 
the  next  tone  below,  by  which  the  cadence  would  be  completed 


FAULTS   OF  HEADERS.  545 

before  its  time,  he  adds  a  monotone,  and  again  tries  a  downward 
ditone.  In  this  maner  he  descends,  till  with  an  enfeebled  voice, 
the  cadence  is  made  on  the  three  final  sylables.  The  process  here 
described  is  not  continued  on  many  words ;  most  readers  would  in 
that  case  soon  exhaust  their  pitch.  Yet  this  does  sometimes 
hapen;  for  the  voice  by  this  shelving  course,  is  at  last  brought 
down  to  a  husky  quality,  and  sometimes  becomes  inaudible. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Intonation  at  Pauses.  Under  the  preceding 
head,  we  described  the  forms  and  efect  of  false  intonation,  at  the 
close  of  a  period.  Besides  these,  certain  sub-pauses  Avithin  the 
limits  of  a  sentence,  variously  dividing  it  into  members  or  por- 
tions, were  caled  in  our  acount  of  rythmus,  pausal  sections.  To 
the  eye,  these  are  separated  by  the  comon  punctuative  marks, 
representing  the  duration  of  the  pause.  Yet  this  temporal  rest 
alone  is  not  suficient  in  all  cases,  to  prevent  obscurity  or  mistake 
in  the  meaning  of  discourse.  The  coma  and  the  period  denote 
respectively,  the  least  and  the  greatest  degree  of  separation ;  and 
these  with  the  intermediate  sectional  divisions,  constitute  the  whole 
purpose  of  the  temporal  pause.  Intonation  however,  performs  an 
important  part  at  these  subdivisions.  For  the  several  pausal  sec- 
tions are  variously  related  to  each  other ;  and  these  relations,  in 
their  various  forms  and  degrees,  are  shown  by  the  united  means  of 
the  temporal  rest,  and  the  phrases  of  melody.  In  the  twelfth  sec- 
tion, we  learned  what  j)hrases  are  proper  for  conecting,  and  sepa- 
rating the  subdivided  meaning  of  a  sentence.  Those  who,  with  the 
light  of  our  principles,  may  hereafter  look  into  this  subject,  will 
perceve  the  fitnes  of  the  apropriation  there  made ;  and  will  more- 
over be  struck  by  the  violations  of  gramar,  and  of  the  rule  of 
variety,  so  comonly  heard  among  speakers ;  some  of  whom  set  a 
rising  third  or  fifth  at  most  of  the  sub-pauses,  and  even  at  the 
period  itself.  These  improprieties  must  neccsarily  be  frequent, 
from  the  character  of  the  phrases  of  melodyj  and  consequently 
from  the  maner  of  aplying  them,  being  unknown.  Tlic  Reader, 
I  would  fain  beleve,  can  now  forebear  the  several  faults  that  might 
ocur  under  this  head  ;  for  certainly  the  purpose  of  speech  will  be 
obscured,  if  a  faling  ditone  or  tritone  should  be  aplied  to  that 
pause,  where  a  continuative  syntax  calls  for  the  monotone  or  the 
very  reverse  of  these  downward  phrases. 


I 


546  FAULTS    OF   READERS. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Third.  The  third  is  properly  employed  in  the 
moderate  forms  of  interogation,  and  on  conditional  phrases.  Some 
readers  however,  execute  the  whole  curent  melody  in  the  rise  of 
this  interval.  To  those  who  recognize  the  uncolored  dignity  of 
the  diatonic  melody,  this  curent  of  the  third  has  the  striking 
efect  of  a  continued  interrogative  interval,  which  renders  it  unfit 
to  be  the  ground  for  expresive  speech.  As  a  Drift  it  would  be 
monotonous,  and  its  similarity  to  the  wider  emphatic  intervals 
weakens  their  expresion,  when  required  in  its  course.  It  is 
sharper  in  pitch  than  the  diatonic  melody,  and  consequently 
wants  its  dignity  of  character.  I  have  heard  persons  with  this 
fault  try  to  read  ]\Iilton,  and  Shakspeare,  and  the  declaratory 
parts  of  the  Church-service,  and  always,  as  apeared  to  me,  with- 
out suces.  The  curent  of  dignified  uterance  must  always  consist 
of  the  wave  of  the  second,  on  long  quantities.  No  simple  up- 
ward concrete  can  produce  it;  tho  the  rise  of  a  wide  interval 
may  be  ocasionaly  employed  for  emphasis,  in  the  gravest  drift  of 
the  diatonic  wave. 

It  is  a  fault  in  the  third,  even  when  the  whole  curent  is  not 
made  by  that  interval^  to  form  all  the  emphases  with  it.  This 
likewise  gives  a.sharpnes  and  monotony  to  speech;  for  one  of  its 
proprieties  as  well  as  beauties,  consists  in  a  variation  of  emi)hasis : 
and  we  pointed  out,  in  its  proper  place,  the  abundant  means  for 
this  variety. 

A  curent  melody  of  the  third  in  place  of  the  second,  is  princi- 
paly  ofensive  by  its  monotony ;  for  the  wider  intervals,  as  M'e 
learned  in  the  section  on  Drift,  will  not  bear  continued  repetition. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Fifth.  The  interval  of  the  fifth  is  sometimes  im- 
properly made  the  curent  concrete  of  melody.  It  is  a  less  frequent 
fault  than  the  last,  and  is  more  comonly  heard  in  women.  Its 
monotony  is  still  more  impresive  than  that  of  the  third ;  the 
whole  melody  having  to  a  critical  ear,  the  character  of  an  intcr- 
ogative  sentence. 

It  is  not  so  rcmarkabe,  Avhen  the  emphases  of  a  diatonic  melody 
arc  made  only  by  the  fifth.  This  too  has  its  shar]>nes  and  mo- 
notony; and  I  am  sure  the  Reader  will  be  siificiently  guarded 
against  this  fault,  by  keeping  in  mind  the  ample  resources  of  the 
voice,  for  a  varied  emphasis. 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  547 

Those  who  misplace  the  third,  and  fifth,  are  apt  to  cary  them 
into  the  cadence.  Such  readei-s  end  many  of  their  plain  declara- 
tive sentences  with  the  characteristic  of  a  question. 

I  might  point  out, a  similar  eror  of  place  in  the  octave ;  yet 
it  is  of  rare  ocurence,  and  only  heard  in  the  piercing  treble  of 
women.  Some  persons  cannot  put  a  question  in  the  subdued 
and  dignified  form  of  the  third  or  fifth,  but  always  give  it  in 
the  sharpness  of  the  octave. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Dowmoard  Movement.  Faults  of  the  down- 
ward concrete,  consist  in  not  giving  the  emphasis  of  its  intervals 
in  their  just  extent;  in  not  aplying  them  properly  or  at  all,  to 
exclamatory  sentences,  and  to  certain  gramatical  questions  that 
require  a  downward  intonation.  An  improper  use  of  these  inter- 
vals is  sometimes  characteristic  of  a  morose  and  saturnine  temper, 
in  persons  who  having  no  grace  within  themselves,  have  no  voice 
of  complaisance  for  others. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Discrete  Movement.  Of  defects  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  radical  change  of  the  second,  in  the  diatonic 
melody,  we  have  already  spoken.  Precipitate  falls  of  the  third, 
fifth,  and  octave,  sometimes  ocur  in  the  cadence  of  children  and 
others,  while  learning  to  read.  Some  again  are  unable  to  make 
those  upward  and  downward  radical  chang&s,  by  which  acom- 
plished  readers  may  hereafter  acurately  efect  all  the  discrete 
transitions  required  for  emphasis. 

Of  Faults  in  the  Wave.  The  wave  of  the  second,  both  in  its 
direct  and  inverted  form,  is  plain  and  dignified  in  character,  and 
therefore  admisible  into  the  diatonic  melody  as  a  drift.  It  is  not 
so  with  the  waves  of  wider  intervals.  They  have  their  proper 
ocasions  as  solitary  emphasis ;  whereas  the  continued  repetition  of 
them  becomes  a  disgusting  fault.  The  wave,  comonly  afected  by 
a  certain  puling  class  of  readers,  is  the  inverted-unequalj  the  voice 
descending  on  the  second,  and  rising  on  the  third,  or  fifth.  This 
fault  is  most  remarkable  in  reading  metrical  composition ;  arising 
perhaps  from  our  familiarity  with  the  union  of  song  and  versej 
and  from  a  conection  of  the  art  of  reading,  with  the  imi)re.ssive 
intervals  of  its  tune.  Persons  who  'read  in  this  way,  give  a  set 
melody  to  their  lines ;  certain  parts  of  each  line,  as  far  as  the  em- 
phatic words  permit,  having  a  prominent  intonation  of  the  wave. 


I 


548  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

Much  of  every  form  of  tlie  wave  prevails  in  convei'sation  ;  and 
the  general  character  of  daih'  dialogue  often  makes  it  apropriate 
there.  I  have  heard  the  coloquial  twirl,  even  exagerated  by  an 
Actres  of  great  temporary  reputation.  H^r  style  consisted  of  a 
continual  recurence  of  identical  sections  of  melody,  composed  prin- 
cipally of  the  wider  forms  of  the  equal  and  unequal  wave ;  show- 
ing a  vocal  pertness,  and  a  sort  of  vivid  familiarity^  but  wanting 
the  briliant  projDriety  of  execution,  due  from  a  performer  of  Higher 
Comedy  to  the  Author. 

Some  actors,  and  readers  are  prone  to  the  use  of  the  double 
wave.  They  make  it  the  vocal  twirl  for  every  state  of  mind, 
thereby  denoting  their  want  of  a  varied  and  just  intonation.  It 
is  an  impresive  agent,  and  is  therefore,  with  an  eroneous  notion 
both  of  its  purpose  and  place,  often  introduced  to  give  prominent 
effect  to  melody.  It  has  restrictively,  its  proper  ocasions ;  and  let 
it  be  rememberedj  there  is  a  sneering  petulance  in  its  character, 
totaly  inconsistent  with  dignity. 

Nothing  is  beter  calculated  to  show  the  propriety  of  the  plain 
ground  of  the  diatonic  melody,  than  the  repeated  use  of  the  wider 
waves.  It  includes  the  faults  in  the  third,  and  fifth,  and  conse- 
quently gives  a  florid  and  monotonous  character  to  speech.  When 
such  striking  intonation  is  set  on  every  important  sylablej  how 
shall  we  mark  emphatic  words,  except  by  an  excess  in  vocality, 
time,  or  force  ?* 

*  The  distinction,  so  often  refered  to  in  this  esay,  between  the  diatonic 
ground-work  of  melody,  and  the  ocasional  cxpresion  of  wider  intervals  judi- 
ciously employed  upon  it,  is  a  great  escntial  of  efective  and  elegant  elocution. 
According  to  our  system,  this  diference  was  an  ordination,  to  meet  the  re- 
spective demands  of  th6t  and  pasion.  Without  regard  to  it,  no  one  can  ever 
succede  in  tragedy,  or  in  other  dignified  uses  of  speech  ;  the  diatonic  melody 
alone,  having  the  character  apropriate  to  awe,  solemnity,  reverence,  and  grave 
deliberation.  And  altho  the  Art  of  Speech,  almost  stone-deaf  to  the  causa- 
tive agency,  not  to  the  cfects  of  intonation,  has  never  yet  been  aware  of  this 
diference;  still  the  purposes  of  truth  and  boauty  in  the  voice,  have  herein 
never  been  without  a  witnes.  For  he  who  advocates  the  principles  of  this 
Work,  may,  by  now  finding  ocasional  instances  of  the  use  of  the  diatonic 
melody,  admit,  that  being  founded  on  tlie  thdtive  state  of  the  mind,  it  must 
have  been  heard  in  every  age  of  cultivated  speech.  Its  rarity  in  the  voices 
of  women,  is  one  cause  why  so  few  among  them,  are  able  to  rise  to  the  tragic 
dignity  of  the  stage  ;  notwithstanding  a  pretty  face,  and  other  prety  atractions, 
may  for  a  time  servo  them  well  enuf,  yet  not  over-well,  in  Comedy  without  it. 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  549 

Oj  Faults  in  Drift.  The  purposes  both  of  truth  and  variety, 
in  the  art  of  Reading- Well,  are  efected  by  a  delicate  regard  to 
the  corespondence  between  the  states  of  mind,  and  their  vocal 

Tliey  have  so  acustomed  an  undiscerning  audience,  and  so  habituated  them- 
selves, to  a  puling  affectation,  which  consists  in  a  curent  melody  of  the  wider 
intervals  and  waves,  the  semitone,  ;and  minor  third;  and  are  so  ignorant  or 
careles  of  their  vocal  duty,  they  do  not  perceve,  and  therefore  will  not  be  told, 
this  is  one  among  other  causes  of  their  frequent  failure.  For  as  the  obscurity 
of  histrionic  description  and  criticism  alows  the  inference,  it  is  not  improbable 
that  Mrs.  Siddons,  in  the  early  part  of  her  career,  may,  to  an  impresive  de- 
greej  while  ignorant  of  its  construction,  and  its  rulesj  have  instinctively  em- 
ployed the  diatonic  melody.  An  incident  related  by  her  biographer,  Boaden, 
will  perhaps,  if  elucidated  by  our  analysis,  lead  to  this  conclusion. 

On  her  first  interview  with  Garrick,  Mrs.  Siddons,  then  Miss  Kemble,  're- 
peated some  of  the  speeches  of  Jane  Shore  before  him.  Garrick  seemed  highly 
pleased  with  her  uterance,  and  her  deportment ;  '  and  '  wondered  how  she  had 
got  rid  of  the  Old  So)ig,  and  the  provincial  Ti-tum-ti.' 

All  former  criticism  on  intonation  being,  we  may  say  uninteligible,  we  are 
left  to  discover,  by  the  light  of  our  analj-sis,  what  these  terms.  Old  Song,  and 
Ti-tum-ti,  mean.  As  the  construction  and  the  plain  yet  peculiar  efect  of  the 
diatonic  melody  of  speech,  are  widely  diferent  from  the  construction  and  the 
more  vivid  character  of  song  ;  and  as  a  too  frequent  and  improper  use  of  the 
wave,  the  wider  concrete  and  discrete  intervals,  the  semitone  and  minor  third, 
■with  their  impresive  intonations,  when  employed  in  speech,  tho  far  from  being 
song,  do  yet  more  nearly  resemble  it  than  the  diatonic  melody  does;,  and 
further,  as  the  term  and  notion  of  the  trisylabic  foot  Tir-ttim-ti,  seems  to  be  a 
rythmical  perception  of  the  ear,  produced  by  a  sort  of  regular  return  of  florid 
and  misapplied  intervals,  described  in  the  text,  under  the  present  head  of  faults 
of  the  wavej  I  cannot  avoid  thinking  that  Mrs.  Siddons  did,  at  this  early 
periodj  as  I  personal}'  remember  she  did  in  after-lifej  either  in  part  if  not 
altogether,  instinctively  execute  the  just  diatonic  melody:  and  that  Garrickj 
aware  of  its  peculiar  character,  yet  as  ignorant  of  its  analysis  as  his  Call-boyj 
had  no  other  means  for  describing  his  perception  of  its  dignity  than  that  of 
giving  to  a  contrasted  and  strongly  ofensive  style  of  uterance,  the  names  of 
Ti-tum-ti,  and  Song.  Nor  can  I  avoid  beleving,  that  Garrick,  who  could  thus 
perceve  the  peculiar  character  of  the  plain  or  diatonic  melody  in  others,  must 
himself,  without  being  aware  of  its  structure  and  principles,  have  employed 
a  well-marked  expresion  of  wider  intervals,  on  the  simple  ground  of  a  dia- 
tonic intonation;  tho  never  with  its  finished  propriety  and  grace,  under  his 
then  limited  and  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  resources  of  the  Art. 

Looking  then  to  the  two  eminent  instances  now  before  us,  I  would  be  loth 
to  regard  them  under  that  condition,  which  Guido  so  satiricaly  asigned  to 
singers,  unenlightened  by  Science;  but  which  may  with  truth  be  asigned,  not 
unkindly,  to  many  a  Roscius,  even  with  all  his  so-called  'profound'  and  un- 
wearied study  and  practice  in  his  artj  '  Nam  qui  facit  quod  non  sapit,  delinitur 


550  FAULTS  OF   EEADEES. 

signs,  in  individual  words;  and  to  the  Drift,  or  continuation  of 
a  given  state  of  mind,  and  form  of  voice,  on  one  or  more  sen- 
tences ;  whereas  a  neglect  of  this  adjustment  will,  acording  to  its 
degree,  weaken  the  impresion  of  speech,  or  shock  the  ear  and 
taste  of  an  auditor.  Some  readers  continue  the  same  vocal  drift 
under  every  change  of  thot  and  pasion ;  others  vary  the  character 
of  the  uterance,  without  adapting  it  strictly  to  these  changes. 

We  have  learnedj  the  most  complete  close  of  a  paragraph  or 
chapter,  is  made  by  the  prepared  cadence ;  and  that  certain  vocal 
means,  and  changes  in  the  jjlirases  of  melody,  formerly  described, 
may  be  employed  to  prepare  an  audience  for  the  hegining  of  a  new 
subject,  and  to  indicate  the  full  consummation  of  the  previous 
sectional  or  paragraphic  pause.  The  neglect  of  a  speaker  on  this 
point,  may  be  considered  a  fault  in  partial  Drift. 

As  the  reverse  of  this  fault,  we  have  the  unexpected  transitions 

from  one  style  of  uterance  to  another,  without  a  coresponding 

change  of  subject.     I  once  heard  an  actor  set  the  whole  House 

into  a  hum  of  meriment,  by  making  that  answer  of  Jaffier  to  the 

conspiratorsj 

Nay  by  Heaven  I'll  do  this, 

in  the  curling  quaintnes  of  the  Avave.    The  character  of  Jaffier,  the 

bestia.'  'For  he  who  acts  without  a  plan,  Kesembles  more  the  brute  than 
man.' 

It  may  perhaps  be  askedj  how  I  could  well  discriminate  the  diatonic 
melody,  at  the  time  I  was  ignorant  of  its  constituents  and  construction.  I  did 
not  at  that  date  know  it  by  analysis,  as  it  may  now  be  known ;  yet  its  peculiar 
character  and  dignity,  in  the  personations  of  Mrs.  Siddons,so  caught  my  ear, 
that  after  more  than  half  a  centurj',  the  efect  of  what  I  then  heard,  is  still  a 
subject  of  my  memory.  And  now  that  the  Baconian  system  has,  in  its  own 
words,  warned  us,  not  to  raise"  experiments  soley  xtpon  experiments,  nor  works 
soley  iipon  works ;  but  upon  the  ^for-ms  '  or  goicral  principles  of  works,  to 
lay-down  a  broad  foundation  for  progresive  experiments;  and  by  further 
showing  the  proper  use  of  the  senses,  it  has  taught,  and  enabled  me  to  unfold 
some  of  the  principles  of  speech  ;  I  find  the  efect  on  my  memory,  of  the  in- 
tonation of  this  remarkable  Actress,  is  altogetiicr  similar  to  that  of  the  now 
known,  and  named  Diatonic  Melody. 

This  is  by  no  means,  an  after-thdt  of  conceit ;  for  by  a  like  remembrance, 
of  an  Interlude  of  Dancingj  which  folowed  her  evening  apearance  in  Voltim- 
nia,  or  in  Lady  Macbeth,  at  Covont-Gardenj  I  still  retain  at  conuvnd,  the  just 
time  and  intoiuition  of  a  simple  Gavot-Meludy,  tlio  licard  only  there,  and  only 
once. 


FAULTS   OF    EEADEES.  551 

solemnity  of  the  ocasion,  and  tlie  purpose  of  liis  entrance  among 
the  conspirators,  are  all  at  variance  with  the  levity,  conveyed  by 
this  sneering  intonation.  Severity  of  resolution  is  the  ruling  state 
of  mind  in  Jaffier ;  and  this  calls  for  the  energy  of  stres,  together 
with  the  positivenes  of  a  downward  emphatic  interval.  And  it 
seems  to  have  been  a  perception  of  the  ludicrous,  from  a  contrast 
between  the  seriousnes  of  the  Character,  and  the  pertness  of  the 
player,  that  caused  the  meriment :  for  the  case,  when  duly  con- 
sidered, produces  an  impresion  of  the  instinctive  propriety  and 
taste  of  the  Audience,  and  of  the  absence  of  both  in  the  Player. 
They,  unaware  of  the  principle,  laughed  at  what  was  laughable. 
He,  in  the  conceit  of  '  genius, '  could  not  be  serious  at  what  was 
grave ;  and  perhaps  satisfied  himselfj  their  laughter  at  the  ridicu- 
lous, was  to  him,  a  complacent  tribute  of  aplause. 

I  have  tried  in  vain  to  find  a  term  for  the  extraordinary  transi- 
tions, sometimes  heard  on  the  Stage.  They  belong  to  the  head  of 
the  faults  of  Drift :  but  we  must  speak  of  them  as  vocal  pranks, 
without  a  name.  I  mean  to  designate,  those  abrujjt  changes  from 
high  to  lowj  from  a  roar  to  a  whisperj  from  quick  to  slowj  harsh 
to  gentlej  from  the  diatonic  melody  to  the  chromaticj  from  the 
gravity  of  long  quantity,  to  the  levity  of  sneer,  to  the  quick  stress 
of  anger  and  mirth,  or  to  the  ra])id  muterings  of  a  madman. 

AVe  had  here,  some  years  ago,  a  celebrated  foreign  Player  from 
whom  I  draw  this  picture ;  yet  for  impressive  ilustration,  perhaps 
slightly  caricatured.     His  imitators,  who  have  already  disapeared, 

caled  themselves  the  school  of ;  a  blank  noNv  to  be  well 

filed  up,  as  the  school  of  Ignorance  and  Outrage,  with  benches 
crowded  by  vociferating,  I  had  nearly  said  'Roivdy/  admirers. 

A  system  of  elocution  may  be  defended,  on  either  of  two  diferent 
grounds.  The  one,  that  it  is  a  copy  from  nature :  the  other,  that  it 
does  artificialy  best  answer  the  ends  of  speech.  No  apology  for  such 
flagitious  transitions  can  be  derived  from  either  of  these  sources. 
I  have  seen  persons  under  the  highest  excitement  of  natural  not 
theatric  pasion,  and  changing  from  one  degree  and  kind  to  another; 
but  I  have  never  heard  any  thing  even  distantly  like  the  harlequin- 
transformations  of  voice,  above  alluded  to,  as  aplauded  on  the 
Stagej  excei)t  in  a  paroxysm  of  womanish  hysteria.  On  the  otlier 
hand,  suposing  the  practice  to  be  founded  on  an  artificial  systemj 


552  FAULTS   OF   EEADERS. 

we  would  make  no  objection,  provided  it  could  acomplLsh  by  con- 
ventional agreement,  all  the  expresive  purposes  of  speech.  But 
what  plea  can  that  system  urge,  which  perverts  all  the  beauty  and 
frugality  of  rule  ;  which  destroys,  by  its  anomaly  and  abruptnes, 
all  the  pleasures  of  habit,  and  anticipation;  and  takes  from  the 
fine  arts,  a  delight  in  the  boundles  images,  arising  from  the  busy 
exercise  of  well-established  knowledge. 

Where  this  fault  of  exageration  does  not  arise  from  blundering 
ignorance,  or  from  slavish  imitation,  it  is  purposely  asumed  with 
the  view  to  produce  what  the  small  vocabulary  of  dramatic  criti- 
cism, calls  'Effect.'  The  Actor  being  deficient  in  the  means  of 
that  truth  and  variety  of  expresion,  which  only  a  knowledge  of 
the  resources  of  the  voice,  not  the  practice  of  the  Stage,  can  aford, 
tries  to  help-out  his  uninstructed  'Genius'  by  breaking  the  even 
tenor  of  an  apropriate  Drift,  with  some  ear-starting  stimulus  or 
some  unexpected  colapse. 

We  should  however,  do  some  Actors  the  justice  to  beleve,  that 
with  a  jDroper  estimate  both  of  nature  and  art,  they  must  secretly 
disaprove  of  such  things.  Yet  how  shall  we  absolve  them  from 
the  charge  of  submittino;  to  what  they  nuist  know  to  be  only  a 
blind  conformity  to  the  capricious  fashion  of  aplause ;  and  of  being 
'wiling  to  deceve  the  people  because  they  will  be  deceved?'  the 
easy  art  and  resource  of  weaknes,  with  cunning ;  and  the  wretched 
apology  of  ambition  and  knavery.  It  is  the  part  of  elevated  in- 
telect  to  undeceve  the  world,  even  by  unwelcome  truth  ;  to  make 
all  men  at  last  bow  down  ;  and  to  be  the  master  of  demonstration, 
instead  of  the  slave  of  popular  conceit. 

Faults  in  the  Grouping  of  Speech.  The  Intonation  at  Pauses 
denotes  the  degrees  of  eonedion  between  the  suceding  sections  of 
discourse j  and  between  related  words,  within  the  limit  of  each. 
Grouping  is  variously  intended  to  keep  these  sections  in  a  measure, 
independent  of  each  other;  to  unite  tiie  train  of  thot  Avithin  these 
sections,  when  broken  by  expletives,  or  by  gramatical  inversion  ; 
and  to  bring  together  on  the  ear,  separated  words,  even  from  (lif- 
erent sections.  In  this  way  the  Temporal  rest  makes  a  distinct 
group  of  a  section  l)y  dividing  it  from  others.  The  I^hrases  of 
melodyj  by  the  monotone,  the  rising  ditone,  and  tritone ;  conect 
gramatical  concords,  when  separated  by  intervening  constructions. 


FAULTS   OF    READERS.  553 

The  Abatement  groups  as  it  were,  within  brackets  of  the  voice 
and  keeps  together,  what  is  heard  under  a  reduced,  or  piano  form 
of  force.  The  Flight  limits  to  itself,  the  meaning  of  what  is  em- 
braced in  a  huried  uterance.  The  Emphatic-tie  and  the  Punctua- 
tive-reference  respectively,  by  stres  and  pause,  group  within  the 
field  of  hearing,  words  and  phrases,  separated  in  construction,  from 
each  other. 

Faults  in  grouping  arise  from  not  aplying  these  several  forms 
as  their  purposes  require ;  and  ignorance  of  their  design,  and  apro- 
priate  use,  cannot  fail  to  mar  the  perspicuity  of  oral  discourse. 
He  who  has  a  full  knowledge  of  the  means  and  eficacy  of  group- 
ing, will,  on  this  subject,  be  able  with  just  principles,  to  criticise 
and  corect  the  faults  of  others. 

Fault  of  3Iimicry.  In  a  previous  page  of  this  section,  it  was 
remarked,  that  imitations  of  speech,  either  serious,  or  for  mirth, 
are  geueraly  copies  of  its  faults.  I  am  here  to  speak  of  the  efect 
of  Mimicry  in  corupting  the  principles  and  practice  of  vocal 
expresion. 

Under  the  prevalent  creed  of  the  Old  elocution,  this  purpose 
may  need  explanation.  The  creed  is,  that  all  who  speak  with  a 
perception  of  the  thot  and  pasion  of  their  subject,  speak  with  pro- 
priety. Nearly  all  persons  both  read  and  speak  so  diferently  from 
each  other,  that  we  plainly  distinguish  the  intonations,  joined  with 
the  other  modes  of  the  voice,  in  each  individual.  It  is  intonation, 
with  other  modes,  which  constitutes  the  expresion  of  speech  :  and 
we  must  alow  that  individuals  universaly  uter  their  own  thots  and 
pasions.  This  creed  then  caries  with  it  the  conclusion,  that  speech 
is  not  directed  by  a  universal  system  of  corespondence  between 
the  state  of  mind  and  the  vocal  signj  but  that  each  individual 
must  have  for  his  states  of  mind,  a  peculiar  system  of  signs,  pro- 
ducing that  distinguishable  diference  from  all  others,  which  we 
perceve  in  both  his  reading  and  his  speaking  voice. 

It  would  therefore  folow,  from  the  pretensions  of  this  creed,  that 
mimicry,  by  amusing  itself  with  the  peculiarities  of  all,  so  far  from 
being  injurious  to  the  powers  of  speech,  must  on  the  contrary,  tend 
to  suport  and  improve  them.  For,  by  this  belief,  all  being  suposed 
to  speak  their  respective  states  of  mind  corectly,  while  all  speak 
diferently,  the  mimic,  who  can  asume  the  proprieties  of  each,  must 
36 


554  FAULTS   OF  READERS. 

poses  the  faculty  of  acquiring  the  excelencies  of  all.  It  is  well 
known,  that  the  efects  of  mimicry  depend  on  contrastj  and  the 
contrast  in  this  case,  must  be  made,  with  some  standard  in  the 
human  voice. 

By  the  condition  however,  or  consequence  of  the  creed,  the 
standard  of  each  individual  is  his  own  individuality ;  and  thus  the 
standard  is  destroyed  by  its  endles  variations.  Mimicry  then, 
being  able  to  asume  the  vocal  ability  of  all,  cannot,  from  the  want 
of  a  standard,  asign  to  any  one  a  comparative  excelence,  or  superi- 
ority :  and  tho  it  may,  by  universal  imitation,  add  to  its  powers  a 
superfluous  flexibility,  it  cannot,  from  the  want  of  this  measure 
of  excelence,  improve  or  exalt  itself.  And  as  it  must  necesarily, 
from  the  vast  amount  of  worldly  falsehood  and  bad  taste,  be 
more  frequently  employed  on  vulgarity  and  exageration,  than  on 
truth  and  refinement,  its  constant  tendency  must  be  to  eror  and 
degradation. 

Mimicry  in  speech  is  the  exact,  or  caricatured  imitation  of  its 
faults.  It  must  therefore  be  founded  on  a  perverted,  or  extrava- 
gant employment  of  the  various  forms  of  Vocality,  Time,  Force, 
Abruptness  and  Pitch.  Mimicry  is  the  result  of  the  ignorance 
and  eror  of  man,  in  the  uses  of  his  voice.  With  all  his  imita- 
tionsj  except  they  remind  him  of  his  own  defects  of  body  or  mind, 
or  of  his  want  of  dignity  in  the  imitatiouj  he  cannot  turn  into 
ridicule,  the  unviolated  law  of  nature  within  the  whole  range  of 
the  sub-animal  voice.  In  the  deformities,  and  erors  of  his  own, 
he  is  the  fit  subject  of  his  own  contempt.  Had  the  true  and  ex- 
presive  system  of  that  voice,  been  developed  and  taught,  there 
would  have  been,  as  in  gramar,  few  faults,  except  upon  the  vulgar 
tongue ;  and  perhaps  no  mimicry  in  speech,  worthy  of  an  intcli- 
gent  smile.  The  order  of  Nature,  with  all  things  aright  except 
untoward  Man,  has  by  its  fitnes,  its  self-acordancc,  its  serious  truth, 
and  its  beauty,  excluded  every  cause  of  the  Kidiculous  from  her 
works :  and  an  elocution  that  elegantly  obeys  her  laws,  cannot  be 
mimiced  for  the  anuisement  of  a  discerning  and  respectful  ear. 

Mimicry  is  not  only  founded  on  faults,  but  it  contributes  to 
multiply  and  to  (confirm  them.  It  nuiltiplios  faults,  by  confound- 
ing those  just  })crceptions,  that  might  discern  and  prevent,  or 
corectthcm;  and  it  confirms  them  in  the  mimic,  by  giving  to  a 


FAULTS    OF    READERS.  555 

habit  of  distortion,  the  force  of  second  nature  in  his  voice.  Mim- 
icry weakens  and  perverts  the  powers  of  expresion,  by  confusing 
its  signs,  in  representing  the  same  state  of  mind,  as  diferently 
expresed  by  diferent  individuals :  when  in  comon  consistency  it 
should  always  have  the  same  apropriate  vocal  sign.  One  cause 
of  our  not  readily  perceving  the  true  system  of  speech  is,  that  the 
ordained  conection  of  sign  and  state  of  mind,  is  in  the  corupt  prac- 
tice of  the  greater  part  of  mankind,  confounded,  by  the  same  state 
being  expresed  in  so  many  diferent  ways.  How  much  then,  must 
the  mimic  be  at  fault,  and  the  whole  purpose  of  his  speech  per- 
verted, by  the  endles  variety  and  exagerated  degree  of  false  ex- 
presion, constantly  upon  his  ear?  Few  mimics  are  able  to  rise  to 
the  character  of  dignified  uterance ;  and  when  they  even  seriously 
imitate  acomplished  speakers,  it  is  always  in  their  acidental  defects ; 
for  these  only  give  the  amusing  characteristics.  Some  of  the  beter 
class  of  Actors  posses  a  jDOwer  of  mimicry :  but  as  I  have  known 
them,  they  have  wanted  a  high  refinement  and  finish,  in  the  truth- 
ful representation  of  thot  and  pasion.  And  so  it  ought  to  be :  and 
so  it  will  be  regarded  hereafter,  if  in  our  present  l\istory  of  Nature 
there  is  a  true  representation  of  the  system  of  her  wise  and  eficient 
laws. 

And  here  let  me  not  unmindfuly  say,  that  if  observation  had 
not,  by  acident,  aforded  me  the  light,  and  the  defense  of  this 
natural  ordination  of  the  voice,  I  would  not  have  dared,  nor  even 
wished,  to  touch  the  mantle  of  renown,  that  wraps  the  Histrionic 
character  of  the  Imortal  Garrick.  But  when  I  see  him,  in  that 
Emblematic  Portrait  of  his  fame,  equaly  afected  to  the  Comic, 
and  the  Tragic  Muse  ;  and  hear,  that  he  could  both  by  taste  and 
habit,  mask  the  expresive  features  of  his  elocution,  by  an  exager- 
ated and  distorted  mimicry,  I  grieve  to  think  that  my  memorial 
perception  must  lose  a  single  ray,  from  the  bright  and  welcome 
vision  of  his  canonized  Perfection. 

Such,  from  its  very  character,  must,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
be  the  influence  of  mimicry,  even  on  the  finest  mould  of  nature 
in  the  unenlightened  human  voice.  How  far  a  full  and  acurate 
knowledge  and  use  of  all  the  means,  ordained  for  truth  and  ele- 
gance of  expresion,  with  a  perfect  discrimination  between  the 
right  and  the  wrong  in  speech,  may  enable  an  acomplished  Actor 


656  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

habitualy  to  practice  the  deformities,  Avithout  infecting  the  graces 
of  uterance,  must  be  determined  by  the  oportunities  of  future 
experience.  At  present,  it  is  well  to  keep  the  tongue  away  from 
the  contaminating  company  of  its  own  infectious  faults.  For  it  is 
with  our  voices,  as  with  our  morals ;  the  habit  of  doing  only  right, 
most  efectually  preserves  us  from  wrong :  and  it  is  no  less  danger- 
ous, to  play  with  mischief  in  the  one,  than  to  amuse  ourselves 
with  mokery  in  the  other.* 

An  inquiry  into  the  subject  of  mimicry,  will  afford  a  further 
view  of  the  consistency  of  the  whole  science  of  expresion,  set-forth 
in  this  esay.  For  if  corect  and  elegant  speech  requires  the  em- 
ployment of  the  vocal  constituents,  in  their  proper  places,  in  their 
proper  sucesions,  and  in  due  proportion  to  each  other,  it  will 
furnish,  if  the  Reader  yet  doubtsj  some  suport  to  this  recorded 
system,  to  findj  the  violation  of  its  rules,  by  a  misplaced,  or  over- 
proportioned,  or  exclusive  use  of  certain  of  these  constituents  is 
productive  of  a  paling  monotony,  or  a  grotesk  caricature. 

Of  Monotony  of  Voice.  This  is  an  old  term  in  elocution ;  but  it 
is  here  used  with  a  more  extensive  signification  than  formerly.  It 
means  in  general,  the  undue  continuation  of  any  function  of  the 
voice. 

One  can  scarcely  point-out  an  ocasion,  on  which  the  simple  rise 
of  the  second,  or  the  diatonic  wave,  has  this  efect ;  for  acording  to 
our  system,  these  are  properly  the  most  frequent  of  the  continuous 
styles  of  discourse.  The  use  of  the  second,  in  place  of  another 
interval,  may  sometimes  be  an  eror  in  expresion,  but  we  do  not 
call  it  monotony.  The  chromatic  melody,  as  a  continuation  of  the 
impresive  interval  of  the  semitone,  is  not  monotonous,  if  its  plain- 
tivenes  is  suited  to  the  state  of  mind :  but  many  other  constitu- 

*  lu  the  early  period  of  life,  I  had  to  a  certain  degree  the  power  of  mimicry  ; 
and  the  ability  to  imitate  the  human  and  sub-animal  voice,  has  asisted  me  ia 
discriminating  by  contrast,  the  graces  of  utcrance,  in  recording  many  of  its 
faults.  Since  the  development  of  the  vocal  constituents,  with  a  habitual  prac- 
tice of  the  means,  and  experience  of  the  efects,  of  a  true,  apropriate,  and  ele- 
gant speech,  the  readines  and  precision  of  that  mimicry  is  much  impaired  ; 
and  partially  lost :  without  however,  the  least  diminution  of  exactnes  in  tho 
measurement  of  time  and  tune,  when  now  in  my  eighty-second  year,  en- 
larging the  sixth  edition  of  this  Work.  I  cannot  say  how  it  would  have  been, 
had  mimicry  been  a  purpose  of  businesor  ambition. 


FAULTS  OF   READERS.  557 

ents,  when  spread  over  discourse,  ofend  by  this  fault.  A  repeated 
sucesion  of  the  same  phrases  in  the  curent;  the  same  kind  of  ca- 
dence, particularly  if  it  frequently  ocurs ;  a  melody  formed  on  the 
third,  or  fifth ;  a  restriction  of  emphasis  to  the  third,  or  fifth,  or 
octave ;  a  constant  use  of  the  acent  and  emphasis  of  the  radical,  the 
vanishing,  or  the  thoro  stressj  of  the  tremorj  and  of  the  down- 
ward wider  intervals;  too  free  a  use  of  remote  skips  in  the  radical 
change,  both  in  the  curent,  and  the  cadencej  of  the  wider  and  un- 
equal wavesj  with  the  protracted  notes  of  song,  may  each  become 
the  cause  of  monotony.  And  it  may  be  again  remarked,  that  all 
constituents  severally  alotted  to  the  rare  ocasions  of  emphasis,  seem 
to  be  protected  against  the  fault  of  undue  repetition,  not  only  by 
their  violating  the  vocal  rules  for  thot  and  expresion,  but  by  pro- 
ducing at  the  same  time,  an  ofensive  monotony. 

Of  Ranting  in  Speech.  This  fault  consists  in  the  exces  of  certain 
functions.  These  are  loudnes ;  violence  in  the  radical,  and  the 
vanishing  streses;  and  in  general,  an  over-doing  of  just  expresion, 
when  united  with  unecesary  force. 

Of  Afedation  in  Speech.  This  consists  in  an  imbecile  perversion 
of  the  proper  use  of  articulation,  and  of  the  intervals  of  pitch, 
with  a  mincing  awkwardnes,  that  always  attends  the  actions  of 
personal  conceit. 

Of  Mouthing  in  Speech.  This  belongs  properly  to  the  head  of 
the  faults  of  articulation ;  and  refers  to  deviations  from  standard 
pronunciation;  of  which  it  is  not  my  intention  to  speak  particu- 
larly. 

Mouthing  consists  in.  the  improper  employment  of  the  lips  in 
utterance. 

Some  of  the  tonic  elements,  and  one  of  the  subtonics  are  made 
by  the  assistance  of  the  lijjs.  They  are  o-we,  oo-ze,  ou-v,  and  m. 
When  these  abound  it  may,  without  precaution  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker,  lead  to  mouthing.  All  the  other  subtonics  may  be  to  a 
degree,  infected  with  this  fault.  It  slightly  infuses  the  sound  of 
the  o-we  or  oo-ze  into  their  vocality;  for  the  protrusion  of  the 
lips,  gives  something  of  this  character  even  to  a  lingual  element. 
Mouthing  may  be  called  a  form  of  affectation. 

I  might  here  give  a  particular  description  of  the  voices  of 
Childhood  and  of  Age :  for  these  may  be  looked  upon  as  faults, 


558  FAULTS   OF   READEES. 

when  compared  with  the  full-fonned,  vigorous,  and  varied  uter- 
ance  of  intermediate  periods.  Our  analysis  will  enable  an  ob- 
servant Reader  to  discover  their  respective  characters.  He  will 
find  the  voice  of  childhood  to  be  high  in  pitch,  vividly  monotonous 
in  melody,  and  defective  in  cadence,  with  nothing,  except  parental 
doting  to  reconcile  the  ear  to  its  screeching  intonation  ;  which  in 
its  piercing  and  untunable  noise  from  mingling  hundreds  'just 
let  loose  from  school'  is  a  nuisance  well  deserving  the  rod  of  a 
Correctional  Police,  in  every  community  that  vainly  hopes,  by  a 
little  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  to  banish  ignorance,  raise 
up  a  comonwealth  of  industrious,  wise,  and  virtuous  citizens,  and 
to  quiet  the  disorderly  pasions  of  mankind.  He  will  find  old  age 
to  be  slow,  with  frequent  pauses,  feeble  radical  stres,  tremulous, 
ocasionally  breaking  into  the  falsete,  and  piping  the  childish  treble 
in  his  voice. 

The  faults  here  enumerated,  are  more  or  less  coraon  among 
those  who  pass  for  good,  and  often  the  best  Readers  and  Actoi*s. 
When  instruction  shall  be  derived  from  the  Natural  Philosophy 
of  speech,  and  not  from  the  egotism  of  untaught  'genius,'  nor  the 
varying  and  contradictory  examples  it  pretends  to  set-up  for  Imi- 
tatiouj  the  defects  and  deformities  of  uterauce  from  these  sources, 
now  equaly  prevalent  in  the  higher  and  the  humble  class  of  read- 
ers, will  like  the  faults  of  gramar,  be  confined  to  the  uneducated 
and  the  careles. 

I  have  described  the  faults  of  speakers  under  general  heads, 
and  in  their  separate  forms.  They  are  heard  in  bad  speakers, 
under  all  possible  combinations :  but  the  pcrnnitations  would  defy 
every  atempt  towards  a  useful  arangemcnt.  The  contemplation  of 
the  subject  is  therefore  left  as  a  task  for  the  Reader. 

Should  the  principles  of  this  Work  ever  prevail,  and  Speech 
hereafter  become  a  Lil)eral  and  Elegant  Art,  it  may  be  foundj  the 
faults  described  in  this  section,  as  infecting  the  whole  world  of 
elocution,  will  have  so  far  passed  away,  that  the  i)icture  here  ex- 
hibited, will  seem  to  have  been  overdrawn.  ]5ut  when  were  the 
exceleneies  of  Art,  or  Wisdom,  or  Worth,  ever  univi'rsal  or  even 
comon?  There  will  always  remain  in  this  motly  world,  posterity 
enough  of  those  who  now  defeat  the  designs  of  Nature,  and  mar 
the  mind-directed   music  and   expresiou   of  speech,  to  show  to 


FAULTS  OF   READERS.  559 

another  age,  that  I  may  not  nnfairly  have  recorded,  the  ahnost 
universal  prevalence  of  this  deafnes  and  deformity,  in  the  great 
family  of  their  vocal  ancestors.* 

In  describing  the  faults  of  readers,  and  on  other  ocasions  in  this 
esay,  I  have  refered  to  eminent,  as  well  as  to  exceptionable  exam- 
ples, in  the  vocal  practice  of  the  Stage.  The  Actor  holds  both  for 
purpose  and  oportunity,  the  first  and  most  observed  position  in  the 
Art  of  Elocution^  and  should  long  have  been  our  best  and  al-sufi- 
cient  Master  in  its  School.  The  Senate,  the  Pulpit,  and  the  Bar, 
with  the  verbal  means  of  argument  or  persuasion  almost  exclu- 

*  Having  shown,  that  the  descriptions  ofered  in  this  esay,  are  drawn  from 
Nature^  to  furnish  the  sure  foundation  of  a  system  for  all  times,  and  for  all 
cultivated  nations;  and  having  further,  shown  that  faults,  being  a  misaplica- 
tion  of  the  constituents  of  a  just  and  elegant  speech,  must  of  necesity,  be 
universal}'  of  a  similar  character,  among  those  who  disregard  the  principles 
of  that  just  and  elegant  speech :  I  have  only  to  add  here,  as  it  might  perhaps 
be  required,  some  suport  to  this  conclusion. 

During  my  residence  at  Rome,  in  the  winter  of  eighteen  hundred  and  forty- 
six — seven,  I  was  present  at  an  annual  exhibition  of  the  scholars  of  the  Propa- 
ganda. From  pencil-notes  taken  at  the  time,  on  the  margin  of  a  programme 
of  the  exercises,  and  briefly  recording  my  perception  of  the  character  of  the 
elocution,  I  make  the  following  sumary. 

The  speakers  numbered  from  fifty  to  sixty,  men  and  boys  ;  aparently  from 
the  age  of  twelve  to  five  and  twenty ;  of  various  colors,  visages,  and  lan- 
guages;  and  from  countries  of  different  degrees  of  ignorance,  and  of  civiliza- 
tion, between  the  longitude  of  eastern  China,  and  that  of  the  Alegany  moun- 
tains. As  each  and  all  of  these  individuals  must  have  had  the  respective 
forms  of  their  intonation,  and  of  the  other  modes  of  the  voice,  determined 
and  fixed  by  early  habit  in  their  native  country^  they  could  have  undergone 
no  material  change  in  the  Roman  school.  Yet  the  proprieties  of  speech,  if 
any,  and  all  its  faults,  whether  in  form,  degree,  or  misaplied  expresion,  were 
the  same  as  those  we  have  enumerated  in  the  English  voice.  No  matter,  to 
what  .sylabic  sound,  or  structure  of  language  they  had  been  born,  there  was 
colectively  among  thom,  the  same  vicious  variety  in  the  uses  of  time,  force, 
vocality,  abruptnes  and  intonation,  as  with  ourselves  ;  and  as  with  us  of  the 
Saxon,  Celtic,  Gaulish,  Teutonic  and  Slavonic  tonguesj  one  vast  predomi- 
nance of  faults.  Still,  when  closely  listening  to  the  right,  the  wrong,  and 
the  peculiar,  I  heard  nothing  in  form,  or  even  in  queernes  or  exageration, 
that  I  had  not  seemingly  heard  before.  In  short,  the  destined  swarthy  wan- 
derer of  the  Propaganda,  with  his  aimles  and  chaotic  eforts  in  speech,  and 
the  acomplished  Queens  of  song  from  the  Conservatorio,  with  their  desecra- 
tion, so  to  speak,  of  expresion  in  Recitative,  are  more  nearly  asimilated,  in 
these  vices  of  intonation,  than  their  diference  in  complexion  and  in  glory 
will  alow  the  pride  of  the  Opera  to  aknowledge. 


560  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

sively  before  them,  having  so  earnestly,  or  artfuly  pursued  these 
leading  interests^  they  have  not  observed,  nor  apareutly,  M'ished  to 
observe,  how  far  the  cultivated  powers  of  the  voice  might  have 
asisted  the  honest  or  the  ambitious  purpose  of  their  oratory.  But 
with  the  Stage,  speech  is  in  itself,  the  means  and  the  end  of  His- 
trionic distinction ;  for  however  the  Actor  may  be  unduly  influ- 
enced by  aplause,  this  aplause  is  suposed  to  be  atainable,  only  by 
the  expresive  powers  of  his  voice.  It  has  therefore  been  towards 
the  Stage  alone,  that  criticism  has  shown  a  disposition,  formaly  to 
direct  its  vague  and  limited  rules  of  vocal  propriety  and  taste. 
The  Stage  however  has  not  fulfiled  the  duties  of  its  position;  for 
while  holding  the  highest  place  of  influential  example  in  the  art, 
and  enjoying  the  immediate  rewards  of  popularity,  it  has  done 
little  more  than  keep-up  the  tradition  of  its  busines  and  rotine^ 
and  tediously  record  the  personalities,  engagements,  retirement, 
and  every  sort  of  anecdote  of  its  renowned  Performers ;  without 
one  serious  thot  of  turning  a  discriminative  ear  to  their  vocal  ex- 
celence,  and  thereby  afording  available  instruction,  on  the  means 
of  their  succes ;  its  distinguished  Performers  themselves,  apear- 
ing  more  culpably,  in  the  condition  of  too  many  others  in  exalted 
stations,  who  have  not  so  much  desired  to  fulfil  the  trusts  of  their 
Stewardship,  as  to  acquire  wealth  and  influence  and  distinction 
for  themselves.* 

*  Shortly  after  the  publication  of  this  "Work,  I  was  asked  by  a  friendly 
Judges  how  I  came  to  write  it ;  for  he  had  suposed  it  would  have  been  writen 
by  some  Public  Speaker.  But  Judges  deliver  opinions;  and  the  whole  line 
of  historical  'Reports'  furnishes  only  a  single  Case-in-point,  to  my  friend's 
suposition :  for  of  all  the  Orators,  Demosliienes  alone  is  said  to  have  tried 
vocal  instruction^  in  teaching  himself  to  jironounce  the  elements,  by  holding 
pebbles  in  his  mouth.  Tiie  invention  and  the  belief  of  this  silly  story  show 
the  ignorance  and  the  credulity,  on  the  subject  of  the  voice,  among  the  An- 
cients. Yet  the  '  theory '  of  the  proces  seems  to  have  been  no  less  impracti- 
cable then  than  it  is  now ;  for  it  appears,  he  never  had  a  second  scholar  in  the 
same  pebble-way.  And  generaly,  it  would  be  strange  for  an  Orator  to  teach 
elocution,  when  he  beleves  it  to  be  a  heaven-born  gift,  that  cannot  be  taut. 

Tho  I  have  heard  and  heard-of,  Great  Speakers  who  have  won  'golden 
opinions'  by  their  'silver  tones^'  I  have  always  found,  it  was  what  thoy  said, 
not  Jmw  they  said  it,  that  set  their  party  whipers-in,  beneath  '  Hotel-win- 
dows,' and  around  '  the  table,'  in  a  roar.  True  liowever  it  is,  that  Orators 
with  tho  exce])tion  of  Quiiu'tilian,  if  ho  was  one,  neither  write  books  on 
Elocution  for  others^  nor  read  books  on  Elocution  to  instruct  themselves. 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  561 

For  this  particular  state  of  Histrionic  Art,  there  must  be  a 
causej  and  as  the  preceding  analysis  has  enabled  us  to  explain 
some  faults  universaly  infecting  the  voice,  we  may  here  properly 
inquirej  why  elocution  has  not  been  able  to  asume  an  inteligent, 
systematic,  and  respected  authority  on  the  Stage.  Speech  is  the 
audible  sign  of  the  thotive  and  pasionative  character  of  man ;  it  will 
apear  then,  the  peculiar  faults  of  the  Stage  procede  from  a  limited 
and  a  mystic  state  of  mind  in  the  Actor.  I  therefore  devote  a  few 
remaining  pages  to  the  subject j 

Of  the  Faults  of  Stage-Personation.  The  most  general  and  in- 
fluential cause  from  which  many  of  the  faults  of  the  Actor  seem 
to  arise,  and  under  which,  knowledge  in  his  art  has  never  been 
either  comunicable  or  progresivcj  is  the  delusive  asumption,  so 
fatal  to  a  clear  and  practical  use  of  the  mind,  that  his  purposes  are 
efected  by  certain  'innate  powers'  or  'spiritual  gifts'  independ- 
ently of  all  instruction ;  that  so  far  from  being  the  result  of  the 
plain  and  universal  rule  of  sucesful  physical  thot  and  actionj  the 
expresion  of  his  Enacted  Character,  like  that  vulgar  notion  of  the 
'fine  madness'  of  poetical  invention,  is  the  result  of  a  peculiar  his- 
trionic '  phrensy '  of  pasion,  with  the  '  inspired  embodiment '  of  its 
signs  in  the  countenance  and  the  voice. 

This  mysticism  of  the  school  of  Acting  has  divided  its  eminent 
disciples  into  two  Clases.  The  First  has  a  sort  of  double  exist- 
ence, consisting,  at  one  time,  of  its  comon  animal  atributes  of  mo- 
tion, sensation  and  thot ;  at  another,  of  the  '  spiritual '  representa- 
tion of  the  language  of  the  poet.  In  one  of  these  lives,  the  actor 
prepares  for  his  part,  acording  to  his  own  conception  of  it,  or  to  the 
traditionary  rules  of  the  Green  Roomj  and  for  his  scenic  relation- 
ships to  the  rest  of  the  Company,  goes  to  Rehearsal,  with  his 
everyday  mind,  speech,  and  aparel.  This  is  the  personal  life  of 
the  actor.  In  the  other  life  he  is  before  the  audience,  and  has 
entered  into  a  'spiritual  existence'  with  the  poet.  Here,  all  self- 
perception  is  lost;  he  is  sensuous  to  nothing,  and  has  only  an  in- 
describable notion  of  the  comingling  of  his  own  enacting  'soul,' 
with  the  rhetorical  'soul'  of  his  author;  thus  entering  with  him 
into  one  co-eficient  expresion  of  gesture,  countenance,  and  voice. 
This  state  of  an  actor,  in  losing  his  'consciousnes,'  in  the  meta- 
physical 'ideality'  of  the  character,  is  called  Identity.     And  as  I 


562  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

can  comprehend  his  bodily  and  mental  condition,  the  actor  seems 
to  think,  move,  and  speak  in  a  peculiar  kind  of  Trance.* 

*  An  Actor,  or  Personator  on  the  Stage,  whatever  his  fictional  school  may 
teach,  can  no  more,  intelectualy  and  pasionately,  beleve  or  feel  himself  to  be 
the  character  he  represents,  than  he  can,  in  physical  perception  feel  the  pain 
of  his  friend,  or  taste  the  food  that  gratifies  him.  If  he  should  in  mind,  for 
he  cannot  in  person,  be  or  apear  to  himself  to  be  another,  he  must,  in  mind, 
cease  to  be  himself:  and  therefore  cannot,  in  thot  and  pasion,  become  another, 
except,  if  even  that  is  posible,  in  delirium  or  a  dream.  Nor  is  there  the  least 
necesity  that  he  should  in  acting,  apear  to  himself  to  be  another,  in  order  to 
Act  well.  Wicked  and  foolish  as  man  is  in  most  of  his  afairs,  it  would  be 
apaling  to  think  what  he  might  be,  if  human  nature  had  not  been  made,  in 
all  things  and  everywhere  alike.  "We  are  therefore,  by  birth  and  education, 
identical  with  one  another;  without  its  being  a  peculiar  aim  of  'genius  '  in 
a  Player  to  feign  himself  so,  and  this  is  the  opinion  of  the  world  ;  as  we  all 
know,  what  a  social,  moral,  political,  and  religious  comotion  is  produced  by  a 
single  individual  of  name  and  station,  who  questions  conformity,  and  observes 
and  thinks  for  himself.  He  is  marked  as  a  dangerous  character.  Diference 
from  the  rest  of  the  world  in  observation  and  thot,  which  are  the  charm  of 
life,  is  rare ;  but  in  pasion,  which  is  almost  the  whole  life  itself  of  man,  it  is 
imposible.  If  by  internal  motive,  or  external  impresion,  thots  are  excited 
into  pasion,  we  must  show  or  enact  it,  in  like  maner  with  others.  For  with 
some  variation  of  degree  and  maner,  the  pasion  itself,  in  mental  perception 
and  outward  action,  is  similar  in  all. 

It  is  not  necesary  then,  to  '  enter  into  '  or  '  feel '  the  pasion  of  another  ;  we 
are  already  in  it,  by  a  similar  constitution ;  and  have  only  to  perceve  and 
expres  it,  as  properly  our  own,  when  excited  within  us  either  by  the  voice  of 
the  orator,  or  the  writen  language  of  the  historian  and  the  poet. 

In  ilustration,  let  us  suppose  an  Actor  to  have  the  education,  thot,  pasion 
and  physical  means  for  expresion,  like  the  best  of  his  class  ;  and  to  enact  the 
part  of  Hamlet,  before  the  Ghost  of  his  Father.  He  has  then  in  his  mind,  the 
thbts  of  doubt,  disbelief,  inquiry,  and  of  the  present  supernatural  event.  The 
pasions  or  vivid  perceptions  that  absorb,  not  entrance  him,  are  horor,  aston- 
ishment, reverence,  afection,  and  revenge.  These  comon  th6ts  and  pasions 
are,  either  from  Nature  or  from  habit,  so  at  comand,  '  that  a  man  might 
play  them j '  as  Shakspeare  analyticaly  and  truly  describes  itj  by  '  forcing  his 
soul  to  its  ow)i  conceit,'  not  into  Identity  with  the  thOt  or  conceit  of  another: 
for  as  they  have  been  experienced,  and  no  further,  can  they  be  mcntaly  known, 
and  expresed.  No  one  has  felt  them,  in  the  case  before  us,  with  the  vividnes 
of  life,  but  tlio  suposed  once-existing  Hamlet:  and  therefore  the  Actor  may 
raise  within  himself  a  certain  form  and  degree  of  those  thOls  and  jiasions, 
but  cannot  become  identical  with  Hamlet,  even  if  good  acting  should  require 
it.  He  is  then  only  identical,  so  to  speak,  with  himself,  upon  the  experienced 
forms  and  degrees  of  his  own  pasion  and  thOt. 

The  Actor's  jicrccption  of  Idenfltij,  compared  with  the  plain  phenomena  of 
the  mind  and  the  voice,  would  seem  to  have  arisen  from  one  of  these  visionary 


FAULTS  OF   READEP^.  563 

The  Second  Class,  altogether  diferent  in  its  character  from  that 
of  Identity,  is  no  less  mystical  in  its  acount  of  itself.  But  as  I  do 
not  comprehend  the  acount  of  that  unthinking  and  inexpresive 
histrionic  machinery,  by  which  an  Actor  afects  an  audience,  I 
shall,  in  noticing  the  subject,  be  obliged  to  quote  the  words  of  the 
initiated,  who  pretend  to  describe  it. 

It  has  long  been  a  question  among  Actors  and  Stage-criticsj 
whether  he  who  excites  most  pasion  in  his  audience,  is  necesarily 

views  of  Stage-personationj  either  that  the  state  of  mind  ascribed  to  a  Char- 
acter, is  to  be  represented  by  the  Actor  being  realy  excited  to  the  exact  state 
of  mind  ascribed  to  that  character,  which  is  but  a  metaphysical  notion  ;  or 
by  his  trying  io  forget  himself,  and  in  thot  and  pasion,  to  become,  as  if  abso- 
lutely another,  which  is  a  hopeles  metaphysical  task. 

How  far,  in  the  case  before  us,  the  Actor  is  to  become  identical  with  the 
Poet,  is  another  subject  for  consideration  :  and  this  leads  to  the  inquiry,  how 
far  Shakspeare  designed  to  identify  himself  in  thot  and  pasion  with  the  think- 
ing and  sufering  of  the  once-existing  Hamlet.  If  a  Poet  should  become  iden- 
tical as  he  thinks,  with  some  pre-existing  model,  and  upon  that  identity,  should 
draw  the  character  from  himself;  the  Actor,  in  identifying  himself  with  the 
character,  would  necesarily  become  identical,  so  to  call  it,  with  the  poet.  I 
have  nothing  to  say  here,  on  what  a  poet  might  think  of  himself;  for  he  may 
have  his  delusions,  as  well  as  the  actor.  With  all  respect  however  for  the 
poet,  even  one  in  truth  and  greatnes  of  thot,  we  maintain,  that  he,  in  no  case 
becomes  identical  with  the  character  he  describes.  How  it  may  be  with  a 
character  he  altogether  creates,  if  a  poet  ever  did  so  create,  I  leave  for  poets, 
who  work  with  '  transcendental  spiritualities  '  to  decide.  When  the  costume, 
together  with  the  language  of  a  Character,  is  asumed  by  the  Actor ;  and  he 
has  to  move  and  to  speak  like  that  character,  he  might  posibly  seem  to  him- 
self to  have  some  slight  cause  for  beleving,  against  his  senses,  that  he  is  the 
very  character :  like  Christopher  Sly  in  the  Play,  who,  with  so  many  per- 
suaders towards  his  delusion,  exclaims  at  last,  'Upon  my  life,  I  am  a  Lord 
indeed.'  But  how  can  the  poet  find  a  point  of  aproach  to  similarity,  much 
less  enter  into  Identity  with  his  character,  either  historical  or  created^  when 
spreading  his  memorial  perception  for  his  task,  he  gradualy  and  line  by  line, 
selects  from  its  amplitude;  and  roaming,  in  his  excursions  after  everything, 
returns  with  a  gathered  choice  of  thots,  characters,  maners,  imagery,  and  lan- 
guage :  and  all  this  efected  in  time,  and  succession,  by  a  Shakspeare^  only  a 
high  example  herej  identical  with  his  own  clasifying  power,  and  the  grace 
and  grandeur  of  its  taste.  What  has  he,  in  drawing  the  character  of  Hamlet, 
to  do  with  contracting  himself  into  a  fixed  and  momentary  identity  with  such 
a  pasing  and  everyday  personage  as  a  former  Prince  of  Denmark  ? 

Leaving  Identity  then  to  its  own  Notional  fate,  the  case  seems  to  bej  that 
the  Poet  should,  or  does  add  what  he  pleases,  to  the  original  traits  of  a  char- 
acter furnished  by  history  ;  and  the  Actor  adds  what  he  has  learned,  to  be  the 
proper  vocal-representation  of  a  character  furnished  by  the  poet. 


564  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

excited  and  directed  by  pasion  within  himself.  This  Platonic,  or 
soul-dealing,  and  thercifore  disputatious  and  interminable  question, 
seems  so  clearly,  to  have  arisen  from  a  belief  in  the  'Spirituality' 
of  Expresion,  suported  by  a  determined  ignorance  of  the  dascrib- 
able  forms  of  the  speaking  voice,  and  of  their  physical  power 
in  representing  thot  and  pasion,  that  I  need  not  show,  by  our 
present  light  of  analysis,  in  what  maner  it  has  contributed  to 
prevent  a  progresive  observation  of  the  exact  and  beautiful  co- 
relation  between  the  mind  and  the  voice.  The  maxim  of  Horacej 
'  if  you  wish  me  to  weep,  you  must  yourself  first  ^feel '  your  woes,' 
has  so  far  either  convinced,  or  misled  his  readers,  that,  under 
either  of  these  two  influences,  I  would  not  have  here  introduced 
the  subject  of  this  confounding  question,  if  I  had  not  met  with 
the  folowing  confounding  attempt  to  anounce  it. 

'  The  actor  of  an  oposite  school,'  says  the  Autobiography  of  an 
Actres,  chapter  thirteen,  '  if  he  be  a  thoro  artist,  is  more  sure  of 
producing  startling  efects.  He  stands  unmoved  amidst  the  boister- 
ous seas,  the  whirlwinds  of  pasion  sweling  around  him.  He  ex- 
ercises perfect  comand  over  the  emotions  of  the  audience ;  seems 
to  hold  their  heart-strings  in  his  hands,  to  play  upon  their  sympa- 
thies, as  on  an  instrument ;  to  electrify  or  subdue  his  hearers  by 
an  efort  of  volition;  but  not  a  pulse  in  his  own  frame,  beats  more 
rapidly  than  its  M^ont.  His  personifications  are  cut  out  of  marble  ; 
they  are  grand,  sublime,  but  no  heart  throbs  within  the  life-like 
sculpture.  Such  was  the  school  of  the  great  Talma.  This  abso- 
lute power  over  others,  combined  with  perfect  self-comand,  is 
pronounced  by  a  certain  class  of  critics,  the  perfection  of  dramatic 
Art.'  And  then,  to  show  the  diference  between  the  actor  who 
draws  from  the  depth  of  his  identical  '  soul,'  and  him  who  only 
apears  to  do  so,  we  have  the  folowing  fact.  '  I  have  acted  with 
distinguished  tragedians,  who  after  some  significant  bursts  of  pathos, 
which  seemed  wrung  from  the  utmost  depths  of  the  soul,  while 
the  audience  were  deafening  themselves,  and  us,  Avith  their  frantic 
aplause,  quietly  turned  to  their  brethren,  with  a  comical  grimace, 
and  a  fe\v  mutered  words  of  satirical  humor,  tliat  caused  an  iresist- 
iblc  burst  of  laughter.'  The  reader,  if  ho  looks  for  meaning  and 
precision  in  language,  must  find  out  if  he  can,  and  then  s:iy  for 
himself,  what  all  this  acount  of  Great  Acting  means,  whether  in 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  565 

the  school  of  Identity,  or  of  Talma.  In  me,  it  produces  not  a 
single  definite  perception  of  the  kinds,  degrees,  purposes,  and 
efects  of  thot  and  passion,  nor  of  the  character  and  management 
of  the  personal  and  vocal  signs  that  expres  them.* 

*  In  addition  to  this  visionary  atempt  to  describe  the  maner  of  an  acom- 
plished  Actor,  by  transforming  him  into  a  '  stoic '  of  the  Stage,  '  a  man  without 
a  tear  ; '  and  still  further  to  justify  our  opinion  of  elocutionary  discrimination, 
I  select  from  a  fashionable  authority  0/  the  day,  the  following  atempt,  of  a 
somewhat  diferent  character,  but  quite  as  uninteligible  ;  and  showing  that 
delusion  of  the  mind  which  at  times,  overcomes  us  all  when  with  words  alone, 
we  make  a  picture  to  ourselves,  wherein  no  one  else  can  recognize  a  clear 
representation  of  things. 

Madame  de  Stael,  whom  I  quote  at  second  hand,  from  an  English  writer, 
somewhere  speaks  of  Talma  in  these  words :  '  There  is  in  the  voice  of  this 
man  a  magic  which  I  cannot  describe ;  which  from  the  first  moment,  when 
its  acent  is  heard,  awakens  all  the  s3-mpathies  of  the  heart ;  all  the  charms  of 
music,  of  painting,  of  sculpture,  and  of  poetry  ;  but  above  all,  of  the  language 
of  the  soul.' 

It  is  always  of  great  importance,  to  distinguish  between  a  particular  expla- 
nation of  an  object  or  action,  and  the  self-absorbed  writer's  description  of  his 
own  thots  and  feelings  upon  it :  a  point  neglected  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  in 
all  past  and  present  histrionic  criticism.  If  a  writer,  in  the  selfish  agonies  of 
his  own  delights,  and  in  the  vaguenes,  of  his  '  transcendental  abstractions,' 
declares  that  the  maner  of  an  Actor,  'cannot  be  described,'  the  reader  who 
is  obliged  to  rely  altogether  on  description,  is  not  to  be  reprehended,  especialy 
when  there  is  'soul  and  magic'  in  the  case,  if  he  can  have  no  perception  of 
it.  In  general,  as  an  apendage  to  such  a  rhapsody  as  the  preceding:;  a  writer, 
after  acknowledging  his  inability  to  explain  the  thing  itself,  should  at  least, 
atempt  to  describe  what  he  means  by  his  own  metaphysical  notion  of  it;  a 
task  perhaps  still  more  diticult. 

It  is  my  misfortune  never  to  have  heard  the  celebrated  Talma.  Nor  has 
that  loss  been  otherwise  suplied  :  for  with  due  respect  to  the  memory  of  an 
Actor  whom  I  did  not  know,  I  would  fain  not  ascribe  to  him  a  florid  and 
outrageous  intonation  of  wider  intervals  and  waves,  that  I  once  heard  from 
a  declaimer,  who  was  said  to  be  his  pupil  and  imitator  :  and  all  the  descriptive 
terms  I  have  met  with,  in  critical  eulogies  on  his  elocution,  have  given  me 
only  an  indefinite  acount  of  his  knowledge  and  management  of  the  voice, 
whatever  that  may  have  been  :  and  the  egregious  misperceptions  among 
the  few  as  well  as  the  many,  on  subjects  like  thisj  together  with  what  I  know 
by  our  principles,  to  be  the  exagerated  intonation  of  French  Tragedyj  would 
leave  me  equaly  open  to  belief,  or  to  doubtj  were  a  question  on  this  point  to 
be  raised  on  the  reality  of  the  merit  universaly  ascribed  to  him. 

If  this  declaration  should  shock  the  partiality,  I  do  not  say  impeach  the 
discrimination,  of  an  admirer,  it  may  perhaps  moderate  his  revolting  aston- 
ishment, when  he  has  studiously  read  this  volume,  and  compared  it  with  the 


566  FAULTS    OF    READERS. 

In  seeking  instruction  from  others,  not  only  in  pbilosojihy,  but 
in  tlie  higher  poetryj  for  this  has  taught  me  much  even  of  physical 
nature,  and  more  of  the  human  mindj  I  have  so  acustomed  myself 
to  regard  the  simple  truth-prints  of  traceable  description,  that  my 
comprehension  is  often  at  fault,  in  the  trackles  pursuit  of  a  meta- 
physical meaning ;  whether  in  the  mischievous  visions  of  Plato, 
with  his  '  arithmetic  mediums, '  and  his  '  procreations  of  the  soul ; ' 
in  the  equaly  incomprehensible,  yet  far  less  rhetorical  and  methodic 
dreams  of  his  later  pupils,  Jacob  Behmen  and  Emanuel  Kant ; 
or  in  the  unasignable  notions  of  histrionic  principles  and  criticism. 
And  altho  we  may  be  unable  to  folow  the  mystic  visions  of  the 
schools  of  Actingj  it  is  not  so  dilicult,  with  a  little  patience  on 
the  part  of  the  Reader,  to  inform,  or  remind  him  Avhence  they  are 
derived. 

The  Greeks,  unfortunately  in  some  things  our  teachers,  receved 
so  much  of  their  Philosophical  Fiction  from  Egypt  and  the  East, 
that  it  is  imposible  to  say,  to  what  extent  they  invented,  or  how 
far  they  only  altered  and  dresed-up  the  fable  :  it  is  however  cer- 
tain, that  having  contrived,  or  adopted  the  imposition,  they  after- 
wards blindly  went  along  with  it.  It  was  according  to  the  vain 
and  groping  purposes  of  the  Greek  philosophers,  that  when  they 
desired  to  know  the  truth,  they  could  not  find  a  metaphysical,  and- 
would  not  take  the  plain  and  physical  way,  to  learn  it.  Observing 
how  much  time  and  labor  were  necesary  for  acquiring  a  knowledge 
of  the  frame  and  laws  of  nature,  by  what  apeared  to  them  a  tedious 
use  of  the  senses,  they  resolved  to  acomplish  it  more  easily  by  a 
'pure  intelcction  of  the  soul.'  In  this  fictional  proces,  asuminc/, 
acording  to  the  human  method  of  Design  and  Construction,  that 
the  world  was  made  from  an  '  ideal  design, '  or  what  they  caled  a 
Patern-Form  of  the  world  previously  existing  in  the  mind  of  the 
Creator;  and  that  the  mind  of  man,  made  in  tlie  image  of  the 
Creative-Mind,  was  a  humble  finite  ofspring  of  its  al-glorious 
infinity.  And  further,  observing',  for  they  did  add  an  ahnvcd  mite 
of  experience  to  their  fictionsj  realy  observing,  I  say,  the  luniian 
mind  to  be  capable  of  unlimited  improvement,  they  thereupon 
conceited  that  in  abstracting  itself  from  the  uninstructivc  anil 

leaves  whence  it  was  cc)})icil,  in  tlie  great  Biblos  of  Nature,  always  open  for 
reference,  before  him. 


FAULTS  OF   READERS.  567 

contaminating  company  of  the  senses,  as  well  as  from  all  other 
disturbing  influences  of  this  mortal  life,  it  might,  by  a  long  and 
contemplative  exercise  of  its  own  powers  on  i>ts  uncorupted  self^ 
hopefuly  ascend  towards  the  Creative  Mind,  and  reach  at  last,  its 
Parent-state  of  intelectual  perfection,  and  imortality :  that  the 
Mind  then  purified,  returning  to  its  omnicient  Father,  and  being 
made  partaker  of  his  knowledge,  might  come  at  last,  yet  still  re- 
siding within  an  earthly  form,  to  behold  his  patern  of  creation, 
and  by  aces  to  the  constructive  designs,  be  able  to  comprehend  the 
plan,  the  purpose,  and  the  workmanship  of  all  things.  This  pro- 
ces  of  Contemplation,  was  a  product,  and  part  of  what  the  Greeks 
termed  the  sublime  Abstraction  of  their  First  Philosophy ;  now 
indeed  to  us,  first  and  greatest  in  fictional  pretension,  but  last  and 
least,  in  usefulnes  and  truth ;  and  which,  if  not  originally  de- 
signed to  impose  on  ignorance,  did  subsequently  pervert  the  mind 
to  that  state  of  metaphysical  credulity,  by  which  it  still  imposes  on 
itself. 

It  was  this,  together  with  other  distracting  fictions  of  the  First 
Philosophy,  that  so  early  and  so  fataly  confused  and  corupted  the 
now,  alas !  irestorable  simplicity  of  the  Christian  Religion ;  a 
religion  intended  by  its  Author  to  be  practicaly  a  general  moral 
blessing;  andj  in  discarding  the  quarelsome  notions,  and  verbosity 
of  the  Grecian  School j  to  embrace  an  unconteutious  system,  with 
its  decisive  meaning  of  Yea,  or  Nay,  for  those  who  have  '  ears  to 
hear'  unworied  truth:  not  a  religion  of  Platonic  figments,  and 
Aristotelian  quibbles,  for  those  M'ho  deafen  their  perceptions  to  the 
unarguing  brevity  of  these  two  short  verdict-words  of  Belief  or 
Denial ;  and  who  by  rejecting  this  unsophistic,  this  al-sufficient, 
this  conclusive,  this  practical,  and  this  peaceful  purpose  of  the 
Original  Christianity,  have,  with  a  heavy  responsibility  for  their 
evil-doing,  given  themselves  up,  universaly  and  world-without- 
end,  to  doctrinize,  to  wrangle,  and  to  hate. 

This,  which  withdrew  the  Platonic  Pietist  from  the  visible 
world,  to  contemplate  with  inward  but  with  filmy  eyes,  his  own 
fanatic  selfishnes;  thereby  to  raise  himself  to  a  comunion  with 
angels  and  saints,  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Maker;  and  to  pro- 
claim, with  audacious  triumph,  his  acomplished  Beatitude.  This, 
which  led  the  Hermit  and  the  Monk,  to  Platonic  war  against 


568 


FAULTS   OF   READERS. 


the  senses ;  to  retreat  to  the  savage  wiklernes,  and  the  Cell,  be- 
fore the  overpowering  civilization  of  their  truth  ;  and  to  seek 
a  refuge  at  last,  by  trying  to  think,  and  to  mortify  themselves 
into  Heaven.  The  Greeks  began  their  philosophical  but  foolish 
method.  Math  only  disregarding  the  Truth  of  the  Soises.  The 
religious  Anchorite,  folowing  up  his  Platonic  creed,  ended  with 
the  Impious  atempt  to  thwart  the  purpose  of  his  God,  in  ordaining 
its  supremacy. 

It  is  this  ireligious  sundering  of  heaven  from  the  universe  of 
material  things,  that  '  God  has  joined  together,'  which  still  haunts 
the  narow-minded  Bigot ;  who  under  the  venerable  authority  of 
his  Pagan  philosophy,  continues  to  sejDarate  the  senses  from  con- 
templation :  but  which,  in  the  fulness  of  wisdom,  and  of  works, 
the  beneficent  Bacon,  in  mental  saviorshij^,  has  taught  us  to  re- 
unite. It  is  this  Contemplation,  still  uncontroled  by  physical  per- 
ception, and  faling  into  visions,  that  enables  every  new  Sectarian 
Leader,  to  conceit  his  owm  way  to  the  will  of  his  Maker,  and  to 
bring  back  from  his  own  egotistical  invention,  another,  and  still 
another  mesage  of  grace,  to  overfil  the  world  with  discord  and  with 
dreams. 

A  modification  of  this  system,  still  makes  the  Physician  of 
Every  School,  pretend  to  see  with  his  mind's  eye,  and  that  a  blind 
one,  those  fictions  •  of  invisible  causation  in  the  human  body, 
which  produce  the  infinite  sucesion  of  quarelsome  Speculations, 
the  ever-varied  Nomenclature,  and  the  never-satisfying  Practice 
of  his  Dogmatic  Art ;  yet  so  inseparable  from  the  weaknes  and 
indecision,  always  co-existent  in  the  mind,  with  fictional  and 
fashionable  changes  in  opinion. 

It  is  to  the  universality  of  this  vice  of  thinking  and  beleving 
without  the  Mastership  of  the  senses,  that,  acording  to  our  igno- 
rance, or  our  ill  use  of  knowledge,  we  owe  the  wildnes  of  Grecian 
Spiritualism,  still  imposed  upon  usj  in  the  dates  and  postponements 
of  Mik-nnial  Prophets;  in  conjuring-down  the  Raping  Phantoms 
of  the  dead  ;  and  in  the  Epicurean  doctrine  of  atoms,  revived  in 
modern  chemistry,  with  no  other  prospect  than  that  of  giving  way 
in  time,  to  some  new  suposition. 

And  finaly,  a  view  of  this  Vice  will  discover  the  source  of  that 
absurd  'idealism'  of  the  Actor,  and  of  his  self-suficient  metiiphys- 


FAULTS   OF   EEADERS.  569 

ical  'genius'  in  his  atempt  to  describe  his  own  conception  of  his 
characters,  and  of  himself. 

If  there  is  no  cause  for  a  work,  the  cause  being  here,  only  the 
adaptation  of  means  to  an  end,  there  can  properly  be  neither  be- 
gining  nor  end  to  the  work  ;  and  if  not  eminent  causes,  there  can 
be  no  excelence.  Nature  certainly  has  wise  purposes  in  her  work, 
and  altho  she  never  tells  them,  except  by  her  spontaneous  actions, 
she  does  not  always  prevent  our  finding  them  out  by  experimental 
inquiry.  An  Actor  may  have  purposes  for  all  his  endsj  and  some 
system  for  self-instruction  ;  but  as  he  never  has  satisfactorily  told 
them,  we  must,  as  in  the  case  of  Nature,  be  contented,  if  he  does 
not  prevent  our  eforts  to  ascertain  them.  Without  therefore  posi- 
tively asertingj  he  has  no  means  of  instructing  himself,  or  of  being 
instructed,  beyond  his  comon  school  of  Imitation,  we  may,  if  un- 
able to  discover  his  intentions  or  rules,  particularly  on  the  subject 
of  the  voicej  be  alowed  to  state  our  view  of  the  causes  why,  with 
an  exception  of  some  local  rotine,  and  the  busines  of  the  stage,  he 
has  none,  above  the  instincts  of  gesture,  countenance,  and  voice, 
comon  to  him  and  the  rest  of  his  company. 

One  influential  cause,  afecting  at  large,  the  whole  power  and 
purpose  of  the  Actor,  not  chargeable  on  him  alone,  and  which 
encourages  this  mediocrity,  if  it  does  not  realy  produce  itj  is  the 
too  frequent  absence,  from  a  public  audience,  of  those  watchful 
Masters,  Knowledge  and  Taste ;  masters  who  make  greatnes, 
wherever  they  rule,  because  they  will  have  nothing  else ;  and  who 
in  deciding  on  the  faults  and  merits  of  an  actor,  teach  him  at  the 
same  time,  to  know  himself.  This  however,  is  a  general  cause, 
arising  from  a  neglect  of  instruction,  comon  to  the  Actor  and  his 
audience.  Leaving  this  point  for  the  consideration  of  others,  we 
will  here  briefly  show  particularly,  not  only  why  he  has  not  a 
knowledge  of  very  important  requisites  in  this  art,  but  why 
circumstances  render  it  almost  necesary  that  it  should  be  so. 

In  the  First  place,  then,  the  vocation  itself  of  an  actor  is  apt 
to  over-ocupy,  and  thereby  thwart  any  broader  purpose  of  his 
mind,  with  memorial  eforts  upon  wordsj  and  with  a  perpetual 
and  varied  sucesion  of  thot  and  pasion,  strongly  excited  for  the 
moment,  yet  too  fugitive  to  become  mentaly  familiar,  or  direct- 
ively  useful  in  the  higher  designs  of  expresion ;  and  therefore  not 
37 


570  FAULTS  OF   EEADEES. 

calculated  to  lead  his  atention,  or  inquiry,  beyond  tlie  comon  topics 
of  bis  art. 

Second.  The  wliole  mind  of  an  Actor,  with  all  its  jealous  hopes, 
is  involved  in  the  disturbing  interest  of  his  suces.  His  suces  is 
measui'ed  by  public  aplause ;  and  public  aplause,  the  very  life  and 
support  of  Egotism,  rarely  asists  or  enlarges  the  intelect,  even  on 
the  subject  of  its  ambition ;  but  is  apt  to  weaken  its  power,  and 
l^revent  its  advancement  in  everything  else. 

Third.  The  actor,  by  that  necesary  law  of  a  wholesome  and  a 
happy  life,  which  directs  us  all  to  some  physical  or  intelectual 
industry,  goes  to  the  stage,  in  nearly  every  instance,  as  a  means 
of  suport ;  and  too  often  without  the  preparatory  education  to 
give  jjower  to  his  purpose,  and  dignity  to  its  efect ;  alured  in  the 
unreflective  period  of  youth,  by  a  dream  of  prospects  and  hope, 
rather  than  by  a  view  of  the  influential  realities  and  important 
consequences  of  hLs  choice ;  and  beset  by  an  early  and  restles 
ambition  to  be  known,  necesarily  most  urgent  with  him  who, 
being  unknown  to  others,  is  at  the  same  time  very  probably  un- 
known to  himself;  of  a  temperament,  not  always  sedate  and 
steady,  nor  extended  and  permanent  enough  to  form  the  habit 
of  looking  into  things  as  they  are,  and  of  fairly  estimating  the 
dificulties  of  a  task.  '  O  I  never  think  so  nicely  as  that,'  said  an 
actresj  the  sijoilt-child  of  the  populace  of  two  Hemispheresj  to 
one,  who  remarked,  that  singing  might  be  as  articulate  as  speech. 

As  it  is  much  easier,  gradualy  to  change  a  vague  perception 
into  positive  eror,  than  to  work-up  exact  and  comprehensive  ob- 
servation into  systematic  truthj  it  is  almost  conclusive,  that  minds 
born,  or  fashioned  by  circumstiinces,  to  the  condition  we  have  just 
described,  would  turn  from  the  labor  of  cultivating  the  united 
powers  of  observation  and  reflection,  to  the  amusement  of  in- 
dulging in  wavering  opinions;  and  become  a  prey  to  the  so})histry 
of  Platonic  fiction,  or  as  it  is  now  called,  *  Ideality,'  or  '  Trans- 
cendental thot.'  And  such  apears  to  be  the  state  of  mind,  i'ar  as 
they  have  explained  it,  of  that  class  of  actors,  who  surrounding 
themselves  with  visions  of  more  than  enthusiastic  pasion,  perform 
their  part  by  the  mystic  means  of  Identity. 

I  can  say  nothing  of  the  state  of  mind  of  the  second  Class,  that 
electrifies  its  hearere,  by  'volition;'  by  'grand  and  sublime  per- 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  571 

sonations  cut  out  of  marble;'  and  without  a  Mieart-throb  of  its 
own  within  its  life-like  sculpture,'  stirs  up  its  audience,  to  '  deaf- 
ening themselves  with  their  frantic  aplause.'  Its  power,  in  its 
own  estimation,  is  most  wonderful ;  but  its  ways,  and  means  are 
beyond  my  eomj^rehension :  for  to  me,  the  acount  of  these  so- 
thought  Frigidists,  equaly  with  that  of  the  former  Class,  taken 
from  their  own  dreams  about  themselves,  contains  not  one  asign- 
able  image  in  description,  not  one  useful  word  of  instruction,  and 
nothing  but  words,  in  the  purposes  of  histrionic  criticism.* 

Snposing  then,  the  dificulty  or  imposibility  of  our  comprehend- 
ing the  above  description  of  the  two  great  clases  of  Actingj  to  be 
as  strict  a  consequence  of  its  obscurity,  as  if  it  was  designed  to 
be  uninteligible :  how  are  we  to  corect  the  actor-ism  of  Actors,  in 
being  either  by  ignorance,  or  self-will,  incomprehensible  in  their 
notions  of  themselves j  which  the  'Genius  of  the  Lamp'  of  inate 
and  self-suficient  light,  has  strongly  encouraged,  if  he  did  not 
originaly  introduce  it  into  the  stroling  Company  of  Thespis? 
Simply  by  removing  their  delusions  about  personated  '  Identity,' 
and  Frigid  personation ;  by  inviting  them  down  from  '  the  realms 
of  cloud-land,  where  they  dwell  with  the  ideal  creations  of  the 
poet ; '  and  by  clearly  teaching  them  the  physical  and  measurable 
signs  of  th5t,  and  pasionj  their  own  natural  and  iuteligible  state 
of  mind  if  representable  by  countenance,  gesture,  and  voice,  can  be 
distinctly  conveyed  to  others. 

Since  then  the  Observative  Philosophyj  the  Real  Author-power 
of  this  Work,  under  my  humble  namej  has  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Actor,  furnished  the  materials  for  a  beter  condition  of  his  Art,  let 
the  Actor  listen  for  a  moment,  to  the  Observative  Philosojihy. 

All  that  has  been  gropingly  sought  in  the  'spirituality'  of  Plato, 
and  the  Actor-ism  of  the  Stage,  may  be  here  set  down  in  the  clear 
Baconian  language  of  the  Senses.  An  actor,  in  his  personations, 
is  not  a  'disembodied  being  of  cloud-land'  'kindled  by  Prome- 

*  It  appears,  from  the  preceding  description,  that  as  the  Actor  of  the  second 
class  holds  no  extatic  Identity  with  his  Author,  and  returns  no  grateful 
'feeling'  to  the  'frantic  aplause'  of  his  audience,  he  must  have  under  his 
'sculjitured  suit  of  marble,'  some  very  peculiar  extacy  within  himself. 

As  I  vaguely  look  upon  this  strange  afair,  and  would  write  it  down,  in 
something  like  its  own  fantastic  figures;  the  Actor's  'soul'  sits  al-secluded, 
a  self-suficient  Monocrat,  without  a  single  minister  of  pasion.  near  the  throne. 


572  FAULTS   OF   READERS. 

thean  fire'  and  'taking  the  audience  by  storm;'  with  'an  upward 
gaze,'  and  in  contempt  of  sensuous  things,  'treading  external  cir- 
cumstances beneath  his  feet.'  He  is  like  the  rest  of  usj  tho  he 
may  not  admit  this  'identity^'  an  earthly  animal,  of  flesh  and 
blood ;  with  the  means  of  movmg,  and  of  plainly  or  pasionately 
thinking,  and  speakingj  which  he  is  visibly  and  audibly  to  aply 
with  inteligence  and  taste.  The  thots  to  be  declared,  are  set  down 
in  his  Part,  and  are  comunicable,  by  gramatical  and  apropriate 
speech.  The  pasions  to  be  expresed,  are  described  or  implied  in 
the  words  of  his  author.  These  thots  and  pasions,  at  least  all 
that  can,  and  ought  to  be  represented,  are  comon  to  mankind,  and 
are  therefore  readily  excited  in  an  audience,  by  their  well-known 
physical  signs. 

The  actor  being  thus  kept  down  to  the  level  of  humanit}-,  on 
the  points  of  th5t  and  pasion ;  the  Baconian  method  of  working- 
out  the  practice  by  the  principle,  precedes  to  the  maner  of  ex- 
presing  them.  This  is  shown  in  the  person,  the  countenance, 
and  the  voice. 

Spiritualism  has  never  gone  so  far,  as  to  asume  the  mystical 
direction  of  personal  Gesture.  The  exalted,  the  downcast,  the 
averted,  the  asenting,  and  disenting  head ;  the  hasty,  the  digni- 
fied, and  the  starting  step;  the  fixed,  and  the  'suplosive'  foot; 
with  the  'chironomy'  of  the  arm,  in  its  unumbered  motions  and 
meanings,  are  all,  in  their  consonance  of  character  and  expresion 
with  the  countenance  and  voice,  no  more  than  obvious  muscular 
movements,  prompted  by  nature,  confirmed  in  their  uses  by  habit, 
and  exercised  Avith  propriety  and  taste. 

In  the  countenance,  the  Baconian  eye  of  observation  sees  nothing 
in  character  and  expresion,  but  physical  form,  outline,  and  move- 
ment, together  with  the  smooth  and  the  wrinkled,  the  pale  and  the' 
red ;  all  variously  combined,  and  yet  so  plainly  conected  with  their 
respective  thot  and  pasion,  that  your  dog,  hapily  freed  from  Pla- 
tonic notions,  in  a  moment  pcrceves  them  in  your  face.  But  here 
the  actor  begins  to  raise  his  'Pcrturbhig  Spirit;'  and  not  contented 
with  nature's  own  physical  suficiency  for  his  thotive  and  pasiou- 
ative  signs,  and  whicii,  if  left  to  itself,  would  acomplish  all  his  face 
is  fit  forj  only  forces  it  to  the  distortion  of  'electrifying  looks,'  by 
'  throwing  his  soul '  into  his  eyes,  and  nose,  and  mouth,  and  brow ; 


FAULTS   OF   READERS,  573 

and  perhaps,  in  violence  to  tlie  just  expresion  of  well-closed  lips, 
even  into  the  grining  of  his  very  teeth. 

And  what  does  the  Baconian  observer  find  in  the  Actor's  voice? 
He  hears  that  some  of  his  words  are  of  longer  quantity  than 
others ;  some  more  forcibly  pronounced ;  some  are  harsh,  others 
smooth ;  some  acute,  others  grave ;  hears,  not  in  his  soul's  ear,  but 
physically  hears,  the  Modes  of  vocality,  force,  time,  abruptnes  and 
pitch,  with  their  various  forms,  degrees,  and  practical  distinctions, 
detailed  thruout  this  Workj  by  a  pupil  of  only  a  lower  Form,  in 
the  Baconian  school,  who  is  yet  hapy  in  his  present,  and  looks 
with  hopeful  patience  to  his  future  tasks.  Having  all  these  phe- 
nomena within  hearing,  and  only  unrecognized  because  unamed, 
the  Platonic  Thinker,  seeking  something  above  vulgar  observa- 
tion, has  by  notional  ^movements  of  the  spirit'  and  figments  of 
'  ocult  causes,'  not  only  prevented  his  own  spontaneous  perception 
of  the  vocal  phenomena,  but  worse  still,  has  so  far  contributed  to 
obtund,  as  fictional  habits  generaly  doj  both  the  senses  and  the 
intelect,  as  not  to  let  him  listen,  much  less  atempt  to  comprehend, 
when  told  by  others,  that  the  Expresion  of  Speech  is  only  one 
part  of  measurable  and  describable  physical  nature. 

Upon  all  that  has  been  said,  perhaps  some  of  those  who  would 
degrade  the  Fine-art  of  Acting,  to  a  level  with  the  visionary 
Sychology  of  our  poetic  young  ladies,  may  ask  if  we  have  not 
given  a  too  prosaic,  or  '  matter  of  fact, '  acount  of  the  material  and 
formal  causes  of  the  Art?  What,  says  the  '  cloud-capt'  transcen- 
dental ist,  is  to  become  of  the  actor's  grandeur,  pathos,  and  grace, 
if  they  are  to  be  deduced  from  physical,  and  not  from  ^spiritual' 
causes  ?  We  answer,  that  with  those  states  of  mind,  the  proper 
use  of  the  physical  means  for  vocal  and  personal  expresion,  will, 
under  the  observative  system,  display  those  states  with  more  uni- 
formity, and  consequently  with  more  force :  for  the  expresion  not 
depending  on  the  individual  caprice  of  visionary  personation,  will 
have  a  more  invariable  character,  and  therefore  be  more  clearly 
and  generaly  perceved.  To  me  however,  the  cause  is  not  aparent, 
why  the  mystical  'soul'  under  the  fiction  of  Identity,  should  be 
brought  into  Stage- Personation,  more  than  into  any  other  art. 
Why  should  not  the  Sculptor,  Painter  and  Architect,  when  they 
studiously,  and  choicely  complete  their  designs,  and  then  practicaly 


574  FAULTS   OF    READERS. 

execute  them  with  propriety  and  taste j  claim  to  have  this  myste- 
rious light  of  esthetic  inspiration  ?  We  once  heard  of  a  French- 
man, who,  having  made  a  certain  Miniature  Shoej  ascribed  his 
suces  soley  to  the  influence  of  'a  moment  of  enthusiasm.'  And 
it  has  long  been  a  by-word  of  the  concentrative  and  transmuting 
influence  of  a  Sheffield  work-shop,  that  a  buton-maker,  as  a  'glar- 
ing instance'  of  Ideniity,  does  in  time  become  a  very  Buton.  Nor 
are  such  jocose  notions  less  absurd,  when  aplied  to  an  Actor  or 
when  asumed  by  himself. 

The  Fine  arts  are  figuratively  represented  as  sisters ;  and  they 
are  a  closely  related  family,  far  as  the  elegant  Avork  of  their  hands 
is  directed  by  a  unity  of  the  general  principles  of  beauty  in  the 
esthetic  mind.  When  these  principles  have  perceptibly  and  prac- 
ticaly  taken-on  their  separate  sister-formsj  any  atempt,  mariage- 
like,  to  join  two  of  them  by  a  metaphysical  rite,  into  one,  Avould 
defeat  the  design  of  varied  departments  in  taste ;  and  be  repug- 
nant to  the  thot  of  a  confederate-independence  among  themselves. 
From  a  few  elements  of  mater  and  motion,  or  perhaps  from  single 
mater  and  its  motion.  Nature  produces  her  countless  diferences  of 
function  and  form.  The  same  radical  and  governing  principles  of 
fitnes  and  beauty  in  the  arts,  that  create  the  delightful  imagery  of 
the  poet,  direct  the  just  vocal  expresion  of  the  actor.  When  the 
principle  embodies  itself  into  perception,  the  unity  of  the  principle 
is  divided,  and  pases,  if  I  may  so  sjjeak,  into  the  varied  diferences 
of  its  exemplified  forms.  The  principle  with  the  poet,  is  a  train 
of  directive  perceptions,  conizable  to  others  only  by  its  efect  in  his 
writen  imagery  and  sign.  The  principle  with  the  actor,  is  the 
train  of  directive  perception  conizable  to  others  only  by  the  efect 
in  the  pro])er  audible  sounds  of  his  voice ;  and  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  until  further  explained,  we  have  a  unity  in  the  mental  root 
and  stock  of  those  principles,  but  cimnot  have  a  direct  resemblance 
between  the  several  branches  of  the  arts,  which  those  j)rinc'ij)les 
produce.  Somebody  once  made  a  doubtful  metiiphor,  in  caling 
Dancing,  tlie  '  poetry  of  motion.'  It  wants  just  as  nuich,  the  clear 
picturing  of  a  true  and  consistent  trope;  and  it  is  altogether  out  of 
place,  in  serious  discourse,  to  speak  ol'  the  Poetry  of  the  Stage. 
It  has  had  too,  an  influence  on  unthinking  .Actors,  and  on  Critics 
who  should  think,  to  turn  their  atention  from  the  asignable  merits 


FAULTS   OF   READERS.  575 

of  the  art,  to  its  vague  and  wandering  mysticism ;  and  to  en- 
courage the  Aveak-minded,  to  gosip  with  others,  as  well  as  to 
enter  into  their  own  reveries,  about  the  '  magical  and  dreamy  in- 
fluence of  pasion.'  If  poetry j  flimsy,  spirit- woven,  merely  self- 
inteligible  poetry  I  meanj  belongs  to  the  Action  of  the  Stage,  then 
with  the  reciprocity  of  a  metaphor,  we  might  sayj  the  Action  of 
the  stage  belongs  to  poetical  soaring,  even  in  its  transcendental 
flights ;  which  is  absurd. 

Let  me  ask  one  question  of  the  dramatic  Mystagogue,  both  as 
critic  and  actor ;  for  if  not  of  one  notional  school,  they  would  soon 
go  their  way  from  each  other;  whence  does  the  poetj  yes,  emphati- 
caly  for  this  case,  the  Poetj  who  being  a  participant-' spirit'  in 
stage  Identity,  should  in  his  own  art  be  a  bright  example^  whence 
does  he  draw  this  grandeur,  pathos,  and  grace,  which  the  Actor  in 
his  cloud  of  idealism,  has  only  at  second  hand,  to  express  ?  Ask 
the  Homers,  the  Virgils,  the  Shakspeare,  the  Milton,  the  Thom- 
sons, the  Popes,  and  the  Cowpers,  in  their  various  powers ;  and 
from  their  unmystified  delineation  of  nature  and  of  life,  their 
analogies,  all  drawn  at  last,  from  that  physical  nature  alone,  not 
poeticaly  sung,  but  clearly  spoken  to  the  ear  in  vivid  representa- 
tion of  the  objects  of  every  other  sensej  and  learn  how  they  have 
become  to  us,  in  the  recognized  exactnes  of  their  bright  and  ex- 
alted pictures,  the  Baconian  philosophers  of  fiction,  and  the  great 
'Secretaries'  of  nature  and  art;  recording  with  iluminated  faith- 
fulnes,  the  history  of  existing,  and  of  posible,  but  not  of  pre- 
tending truths.  They  copied,  each  in  his  own  hand,  what  was, 
and  what  had  been  :  and  set  down  even  what  might  be,  with  the 
clearnes  of  a  waking  and  a  writen  thot.  Let  then  the  infatuated 
aspirant  of  Stage-Personation,  who  thinks  we  have  been  too  i^ro- 
saic,  about  his  'Genius  of  Identity,'  learn  under  his  dramatic 
Mastersj  from  whose  language  he  must  draw  the  audible  material 
of  his  art,  or  it  would  only  be  the  pantomimic  '  spirit '  of  his  vocal 
expresionj  how  they  performed  their  high  poetic  part  of  grandeur, 
pathos,  and  grace,  thro  all  the  breadth  and  depth  of  pasion :  with- 
out any  real '  nightly  visits  of  i\\Q.  muse;'  with  no  'extacies'  of  the 
Delphian  Tripod;  no  'stiring  the  waters  of  the  soul'  to  a  state  of 
poetic  Identity ;  but  on  a  humble  seat  perhaps,  and  without  en- 
chantment, drawing  their  'goodly  thouts'  in  the  truth  and  strength 


576  CONCLUSION. 

of  simplicity,  from  life  and  books,  and  things  unwriten ;  with  tlie 
jjrivilege  of  descriptively  exalting  the  physical  realities  of  nature 
to  perfectional  degrees  of  the  beautiful,  and  the  sublime. 


CONCLUSION. 

Here  I  finish  the  histoiy  of  the  speaking  voice  :  having  therein 
designed  to  record  no  anecdotal  wonders ;  no  magnifying  traditions 
of  how  far  Whitfield  could  be  heard;  no  prodigies  of  earliest  infant 
speech ;  no  ultra  case  of  a  stamerer,  who  could  not  be  even  heard 
at  all ;  no  echo  past  counting;  nor  ventriloquism  past  belief.  On 
a  subject  worthy  in  itself  of  serious  inquiry,  I  was  reminded  to 
pay  more  respect  to  the  Reader  who  might  value  this  Work,  than 
contrivingly  to  entice  him  on  to  principles,  by  a  distracting  detail 
of  'startling'  facts;  having  endeavored  to  set  before  him  an  in- 
structive story  told  by  Nature ;  whose  wisdom  being  the  broadest 
principle  and  power  of  all  generality,  is,  if  it  admits  the  term,  a 
single  Wonder,  Uncompared. 

It  has  been  my  purpose  in  this  Work  to  subject  the  voice  to  a 
studious  examination  ;  and  by  the  simple  but  suficient  direction  of 
the  Ear,  to  unfold  its  suposed  mysteries  with  philosophic  precision. 
How  far  this  has  been  acomplishcd,  the  inteligent  Reader  must 
determine,  Avith  that  alowanee  for  minor  crors,  which  the  historian 
of  Nature  has  perhaps,  in  an  arduous  task  like  this,  a  right  to 
claim,  and  which  the  liberal  and  reflective  critic,  who  may  have 
been  told  of  the  inscrutable  intonations  of  speech,  will  not  refuse. 

Those  to  whom  the  subject  of  Elocution,  in  its  higher  meaning, 
is  new,  will  receve  this  history  witliout  prejudice;  and  even  if 
they  may  not  have  ocasion  for  its  practical  rules,  will  still  admire 
the  beautiful  economy  of  nature,  in  the  ordination  of  speech.  Those 
who  have  spent  a  life  of  labor,  by  the  dim  and  scatered  light  as  yet 
reflected  from  the  art,  and  who  are  too  })roud  or  ourelos  to  take-on 
a  new  mind,  witli  the  advancement  ol'  knowledge;  will  at  letust 
learn  from  this  esay,  the  deficiencies  of  the  old  scheme  of  instruc- 


CONCLUSION.  577 

tion,  tho  tliey  may  not  admit  the  deficiencies  are  here  supplied.  If 
the  development  now  ofered,  were  only  an  adition  to  the  artj  per- 
sons of  the  later  class  might  discover  traces  of  their  former  opinions, 
and  thereby  have  some  preface  to  admiting  it.  But  finding  here, 
the  history  of  what  may  seem  to  be  a  ne^v  and  therefore  a  revolt- 
ing creation  in  science,  they  may  reject  it  altogether,  because  they 
cannot  recognize  the  definitions,  divisions,  rules,  and  ilustrations  of 
their  familiar  school-books  on  elocution. 

HoM^ever  Philosophy  and  Taste  may  admire  the  Wisdom  and 
Beauty  in  the  Natural  system  of  the  voice,  which  we  have  en- 
deavored to  describej  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  curiosity  only,  if 
it  does  not  lead  to  some  Practical  aplication.  I  have  therefore 
atempted,  on  the  unalterable  foundation  of  our  physiological  his- 
tory, to  establish  a  method  of  directive  precepts,  and  of  elementary 
instruction. 

If  we  infer  from  prevalent  opinions,  we  must  beleve,  the  distinct 
methods  of  a  good  elocution  are  endles ;  for  every  one  with  self- 
satisfaction  thinks  he  reads  wellj  yet  all  read  diferently.  There 
is  however,  under  a  varied  aplication  of  just  principles,  but  one 
method  of  reading-well ;  and  we  are  now  enabled,  from  a  knowl- 
edge and  nomenclature  of  the  constituents  of  the  voice,  to  furnish 
from  Nature  herself,  and  not  from  the  endles  fashions  of  the  igno- 
rant tongue,  the  efective  means  of  that  only-method.  AVithout 
some  system  of  generalized  facts  and  principles  in  Elocution,  drawn 
from  the  pervading  unity  of  Nature,  there  can  be  none  of  that 
felowship  which  so  esentialy  contributes  to  the  advancement  of  an 
art.  Yet  even  with  an  instructive  ordination  of  certain  vocal  signs 
to  certain  states  of  mindj  conventional  diferences,  unrectified  by 
rule,  tend  to  confound  that  ordination  and  weaken  its  authority. 
If  some  uniform  system  of  the  voice  be  instituted,  similarity  of 
knowledge  will  insure  greater  acuracy  in  the  use  of  its  signs ;  for 
intonations,  like  words,  will  hav^e  more  precision  and  force,  when 
not  varied  from  their  fixed  and  apropriate  meaning. 

In  colecting  and  framing  the  precepts  of  Elocution,  I  have  taken 
into  view  the  strength,  the  propriety,  and  the  beauty  of  expression. 
The  system  represents  an  inteligible,  and  dignified  method  of  the 
voice,  under  that  form  of  severe  but  eficacious  simplicity,  which 
is  not  at  first  aluring  to  him  who  is  unacustomed  to  regard  the 


578  CONCLUSION. 

exalted  purpose,  and  efect  of  an  enduring  taste.  AVith  the  art  of 
reading  thus  established,  its  excelence  must  grow  into  sure  and 
ireversible  favor,  whenever  it  receves  that  studious  atention,  which 
raises  the  pursuits  of  the  wise  above  those  of  the  vulgar.  I  might, 
from  anotlier  art,  relate  the  story  of  the  great  Painter,  who  with  his 
mind  filed  with  anticipative  reflections  on  the  merits  of  llatfaelle, 
was  disapointed  at  his  first  sight  of  the  walls  of  the  Vatican,  and 
disconsolate  after  his  last. 

The  florid  style  of  elocution,  formed  by  wider  intervals  than  are 
proper  to  the  diatonic  melody,  is  the  result  of  a  sway  of  exager- 
ative  pasion  like  that  which  prevails  with  tlie  child  and  the  savage. 
The  thotless  excitability  of  noise-loving  ignorance,  which  delights 
in  the  florid  intervals  of  speech,  demands  a  perpetual  change  to 
faults  of  a  like  vivid  character ;  and  capricious  alteration  takes 
the  place  of  enduring  improvement.  The  system  of  plain  diatonic 
melody,  with  the  ocasional  contrast  of  expresive  intervals,  for 
which,  as  the  Advocate  of  Nature,  I  would  plead,  has  in  the  charm 
of  its  simplicity,  an  impresive  influence  on  the  educated  mind, 
which  the  studious  use  of  observation  and  reflection  in  an  art, 
must  always  insure. 

If  this  ofered  system  of  Elocution  should,  on  the  grounds  of 
propriety  or  taste,  be  objectionable,  let  another  be  formed  by  him 
who  is  better  qualified  for  the  task.  Only,  let  a  consistent,  tho  even 
a  conventional,  system  be  formed.  And  as  in  the  other  esthetic 
arts,  we  can  turn  to  an  'Apollo,'  a  'Parthenon,'  and  a  'Trans- 
figuration'; to  the  Rules  of  the  Oratoria;  the  Landscape  of 
Whately,  and  of  Price;  the  'Institutes'  of  Quinetilian,  and  the 
Precepts  of  Horace,  and  of  Pope ;  let  Elocution  be  able  hereafter, 
not  only  to  bring  forward  the  name  of  a  Roscius,  a  Garrick,  a  Sid- 
dons,  a  Talma,  and  a  Boothj  let  it  at  the  same  time  lay-ui)  in  the 
Cabinet  of  the  arts,  a  history  of  the  available  ways  and  means 
of  their  vocal  superiority;  thereby  investing  the  art  of  speaking- 
well,  with  that  corporate  ciipacity,  by  the  preservative  sucession 
of  which  the  practical  influence  of  its  highest  mastei's  shall  never 
die. 

A  kindly  felowship  among  the  votiiries  of  the  arts,  and  tlie  bad 
temper  of  disagreement,  turn  so  entirely  on  a  harmony  in  opinion, 
that  whoever  has  examined  this  subject  would,  for  social  sympathy 


CONCLUSION.  579 

if  not  for  truth  and  taste,  prefer  a  factitious  system,  if  well-ordered 
and  consistent  with  itself,  as  a  substitute  for  the  varying  and  con- 
tradictory rules,  constantly  proposed  by  ever-changing  authority, 
in  individual  cases,  of  what  may  be  caled  comon  or  unenlightened 
speech. 

The  Philologist,  in  the  study  and  eolation  of  languages,  esti- 
mates those  which  have  receved  their  clasified  and  concordant 
method  from  the  arbitrary  institutions  of  gramar  and  prosody, 
above  those  which  arise  with  less  conection  or  analogy,  from  the 
wants  and  pasions  of  a  barbarous  people. 

Where  shall  we  find  the  natural  prototype  of  that  elegant  and 
precise  science  of  Heraldry,  which  makes  the  enthusiast,  over  his 
armorial  ensigns,  delight  in  the  purely  invented  system  of  the 
Escutcheon  and  its  Charges,  and  read  their  artificial  but  methodic 
disposition,  by  the  brief  and  luminous  rules  of  Blazonry  ? 

AVhat  book  of  Botany  can  designate  the  fluted  stem  and  sheath- 
ing leaf  of  the  free-handed  floral  volutej  the  symetric  lotusj  the 
scroled  acanthusj  the  varied  cupj  the  indented  leafing,  with  its 
delicate  traceryj  which  altogether  constitute  the  beautiful  and 
endles  combination  of  ornament,  in  the  contrasted  and  harmonious 
grouping  of  Greek  and  Roman  Ideal  or  Esthetic  Foliage  ? 

These  three  subjects  are  all  the  systematic  yet  conventional  crea- 
tions of  art ;  and  it  would  seem,  that  objects  of  intelectual  taste, 
as  well  as  of  sensuous  perception,  are  sometimes  more  satisfactory 
when  the  latter  are  enjoyed  under  the  impresive  habit  of  acquired 
apetite ;  and  the  former  thru  artificial  and  therefore  to  the  dog- 
matic mind,  less  changeable  arangements  and  rules :  and  we  know 
that  what  is  caled  acquired  apetite,  is  always  governed  by  the 
influence  of  some  habitual  principles,  however  arbitrary  these 
principles  may  be. 

Without  a  system  founded  either  on  Nature,  or  on  general 
Convention,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  by  what  authority  criticism 
in  Elocution  is  to  be  directed.  Its  rules  have  too  frequently  been 
drawn  from  the  very  instances  which  are  the  questionable  subject 
of  investigation.  Garrick  is  to  be  tried ;  and  by  the  Comon  Law, 
for  there  is  no  Statute  here,  the  former  case  of  Garrick  is  the  rule 
of  critical  justice.  Hapy  for  an  art,  when  such  authority  can  be 
cited !     But  what  is  to  be  said  when  presumption  pushes  itself 


580  CONCLUSION. 

into  the  front  ranks  of  elocution,  and  thdtless  friends  undertake 
to  suport  it?  The  fraud  must  go  on,  till  presumption  quarels, 
as  often  hapens,  with  its  own  friends  or  with  itself,  and  finaly 
dissolves  the  spell  of  its  fictitious  character  and  merits. 

The  preceding  history  develops  many  principles  of  instruction, 
and  criticism,  and  makes  some  efort  towards  their  aplication. 
Pronunciation,  pause,  and  stresful  emphasis  are  the  only  points 
of  elocution  which  have  been  reduced  to  the  precision  of  particu- 
lars :  and  on  these  only  have  critics  been  able  to  show  anything 
like  definite  censure  or  aplause.  By  directing  their  inquiry  to  the 
details  of  Intonation,  they  will  learn  how  far  emphasis  depends 
upon  it:  and  when  a  perception  of  its  universal  influence  in 
speech  is  awakened  by  exact  description,  and  nomenclature,  they 
will  then  first  perceve  how  the  comprehensive  purposes  of  em- 
phasis, in  its  fulest  relation  to  thot  and  pasion,  may  be  mared 
by  defects  in  the  delicate  schemes  of  melody,  and  intonated  ex- 
presion. 

Read  over  a  review  of  dramatic  performance.  It  may  have 
words  enough  for  its  thoutsj  and  very  good  gramar.  You  cannot 
however,  avoid  observing  a  strong  disposition  on  the  part  of  the 
writer,  to  say  something,  when  he  has  nothing  to  say :  hence,  with 
some  transcendental  notion,  and  some  uninteligible  analogy  to 
explain  it ;  together  with  a  parot- vocabulary  of  unmeaning  terms, 
generaly  misaplied,  and  always  mawkish  to  an  instructed  and 
delicate  taste,  such  as  '  chastenes,'  '  by-play,'  '  undertone,'  '  fresh- 
nes,'  'harmony,'  'effect,'  and  'keeping^/  the  writer  soon  makes  his 
way  to  surer  ground,  in  noting  the  number  and  dres  of  the 
audience ;  the  comfort  of  the  seats  in  the  orchestra,  with  thanks 
to  the  manager,  for  recent  alterations  in  the  rules  of  the  housej 
the  habit  of  slaming  doors,  and  the  noise  of  iron-shod  boots :  the 
whole  acompanicd  with  copious  extracts  from  some  well-known 
dramatic  scenes,  and  perhaps  a  reprint  of  one  of  Cumberland's 
criticisms.  But  how  can  I  withhold  an  example  of  the  '  fine 
phrensy'  of  one  of  those  '  briliant  hits'  of  histrionic  criticism? 
'To  hear  ****,' said  and  seriously  too,  not  an  ilustrious,  but  a 
madly  ilustrating  and  modern  English  Poctj  'to  hear  ****  act, 
is  like  reading  Shaksj)care  by  a  flash  of  lightning.'  A  meteoric 
leson  on  Elocution,  gesture,  and  the  countenance,  worthy  of  the 


CONCLUSION.  581 

transcendental  teacher ;  and  quite  satisfactory  to  those  who  thot 
themselves  thus  brightly  instructed.* 

*  To  exemplify  the  uninteligible  generalities  of  the  greater  part  of  his- 
trionic criticism,  under  the  indefinite  verbiage  of  the  old  Elocution^  I  select 
the  {blowing  article  from  a  Charleston  newspaper  of  the  seventh  of  February, 
eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  It  is  a  '  cloud-land '  analysis  of  the 
maner  of  a  foreign  Stroling-Actor,  Staring  at  that  time,  over  the  United 
States^  whose  real  excelence  on  many  points  could  not  however,  under  the 
old  system,  guard  him  against  that  transcendental  fog  of  rapsody,  which 
destroys  every  perception  not  only  of  an  identity  with  his  enacted  character, 
but  even  of  any  likeness  in  the  description  to  the  character  of  the  Actor  him- 
self. After  stating  that  the  Theater  was  crowded,  which  we  do  comprehend, 
he  goes  on  with  what  we  do  not : 

'  His  reputation  rests  upon  a  charm  that  gathers  strength  with  time — his 
excelenoe  is  not  particular,  not  resting  upon  starts,  marvelous  eckentricities, 
miraculous  shreds,  that  like  diamonds  in  rubbish  astonish  us  by  mere  contrast 
with  neighboring  dulnes — his  excelence  is  general,  it  interests  and  absorbs 
you,  not  by  the  finish  of  a  movement,  the  richnes  of  a  smile,  the  complication 
of  a  sneer  or  the  preternatural  power  of  a  tone,  but  sweeps  you  on  in  the  broad, 
bright  stream  of  the  profoundly  estimated  and  distinctly  developed  character. 
You  live  in  his  personation — you  feel  your  own  blood  sensibly  coursing  in  the 
veins  of  his  Hamlet,  your  own  soul  rocking  with  his  indecisive  will,  j'our  own 
brain  gathering  in  the  dim  and  awful  musings  that  swell  in  his.  It  so  dawns 
upon  you,  ever  casting  a  light  before  its  aproach,  that  you  receve  it  as  the 
realization  of  your  own  ideal,  rather  than  start  at  it  as  an  unhoped  for  won- 
der. You  are  not  reminded  that  you  had  never  thot  of  such,  or  such  a  con- 
ception before,  and  therefore  you  are  never  compeled  to  remember  that  the 
scene  is  without,  foreign  to  you,  on  the  stage  and  not  in  your  own  soul.  You 
go  with  the  personation,  in  it,  a  part  of  it,  and  not  like  parasites,  bowing  in 
mock  astonishment  at  the  heels  of  the  show.  This  may  be  a  little  mystical, 
(0/  clouds  and  darkness,  not  a  little,)  but  it  is  as  near  as  we  can  arive  to 

a  corect  acount  of  the  impresion  which  Mr. has  made  upon  our  own 

minds.  He  is  evidently  a  scholar,  a  man  of  thot,  who  has  worked  out  his 
ideal  with  all  the  careful  labor  and  intense  dreaming  that  it  costs  the  sculptor 
to  perfect  his.  The  consequence  of  this  is,  that  he  is  aways  the  character, 
always  Hamlet — for  instance,  acting,  feeling,  imagining,  sufering,  like — no, 
not  like,  for  that  denotes  a  comparison  of  two  things  where  there  is  not  only 
resemblance  but  difference — it  is  rather  Hamlet  himself,  Shakspeare's  Ham- 
let, bursting  the  cerements  of  his  blackleter  sleep  and  walking  out  from  the 
volume  upon  the  stage.  There  is  a  freslines,  a  reality  in  it  that  would  give 
it  all  the  charm  of  novelty  on  repetition.  It  could  no  more  grow  tame  than 
the  eternal  truth  of  the  poefs  own  creation.' 

Again,  at  the  close  we  have  something  that  we  do  comprehend. 

'  The  play  was  witnesed  with  earnest  interest.  We  have  not  time  to  make 
a  record  of  cheering,  &c.,  but  in  the  course  of  the  evening  Mr. was 


582  COXCLUSION. 

The  preceding  Esay  furnishes  principles  and  definite  terms,  by 
which  the  specific  merits  and  defects  of  an  actor,  or  a  speaker  may 
be  distinctly  represented ;  by  wliich  the  indescribable  mysteries  of 
speech,  as  they  are  caled,  may  be  inteligibly  told  to  other  ages 
than  those  that  hear  them ;  by  Avhicli  arogance  and  imposture  in 
this  art,  may  be  wrested  from  their  hold  on  the  beter  part  of  man- 
kind, and  their  cornpting  influence  left  undisturbed  over  that 
great. majority,  always  ready  to  suport  the  small,  and  too  often  the 
greater  frauds  of  lifej  and  which,  in  its  way,  does  receve  a  sort  of 
pleasure  from  the  changing  pictures  of  its  credulity. 

The  same  close  and  comprehensive  observation  which  makes  an 
interpreter  of  nature,  makes  a  Prophet  in  the  arts.  He  can  tell 
us,  that  in  the  future  history  of  elocution,  as  it  now  is  with  song, 
the  masters  of  its  Practice  must  always  be  masters  of  the  Science ; 
that  they  will,  with  the  confident  aim  of  principles,  adress  them- 
selves to  the  elect  of  inteligence  and  taste,  by  whom  their  merits 
will  be  rated  and  their  authority  fixed.  And  if  in  acquiring  fame 
or  fortune  by  their  voice,  they  should  receve  asistance  from  this 
essay,  I  shall  be  contented  to  think  it  may  be  even  a  humble 
contribution  to  the  means,  by  which  the  works  of  Esthetic  Art 
have  in  all  ages,  delighted  the  inteligent  and  educated  portion  of 
mankind. 

Finally,  I  would  recomcnd  this  analysis,  and  the  practical  in- 
ference wliich  may  be  drawn  from  it,  to  those  who  declare  that 
elocution  cannot  be  tat;  that  the  just  and  elegant  adaptation  of 
the  voice,  to  the  states  of  mind,  cannot  be  an  act  of  self-per- 
ception, and  must  therefore  be  the  work  of  carles,  cycles,  and 
thouglitlcs  'Genius'  alone.  Such  persons  look  upon  this  suposed 
peculiar-power  of  the  mind,  as  a  kind  of  sleiglit ;  the  ways  and 
means  of  which  are  unknown  and  imeasurable.  But  'genius'  as 
it  apears  from  its  productions,  is  only  an  unusual  aptitude  lor  that 
broad,  reflective,  combining,  and  persevering  observation  which 
percevcs  and  readily  acomplishcs  more  than  is  done  without  it; 
and  is  therefore  in  its  purposes  and  uses,  not  altogether  removed 
beyond  a  submision  to  knowledge  and  rulej  tho  in  its  course  of 
instruction,  'genius'  is  oftenest  the  pupil  of  itself. 

ciilod  out,  and  amidst  loud  and  long  ajilausc,  tendered  his  acknowledgments 
to  the  House.' 


CONCLUSION.  583 

Let  those  who  are  deluded  by  this  vulgar  notion  of  'genius/ 
turn  themselves  from  mystics,  who  wrap-up  only  to  misrepresent 
the  simple  agency  of  the  mind,  and  who  cannot  define  its  high 
productive  power,  which  through  their  own  delusive  veil  they  do 
not  comprehend ;  let  them  ask  the  great  Sachems  of  Science,  the 
encompasing,  and  far-seeing  Chiefs  of  Thot,  and  learn  from  the 
real  possesors  of  it,  how  much  of  its  maner  may  be  described. 
They  will  tell  us  that  'genius,'  if  we  must  use  this  loose  and  oft- 
perverted  term,  is  in  its  broad  and  productive  meaning  always 
earnest,  sometimes  enthusiastic,  but  never  fanatical ;  always  char- 
acterized by  steady  perseverance ;  by  the  love  of  an  object  in  its 
means  as  well  as  its  end ;  by  that  unshaken  self-confidence  in  its 
unobtrusive  powers,  which  converts  the  evil  of  discouragement 
into  the  benefit  of  suces ;  which  cares  not  to  be  alone,  and  is  too 
much  engrosed  with  its  own  truths,  to  be  disturbed  by  the  opinions 
of  others :  with  a  disentangling  purpose  to  see  things  as  they  might 
be ;  and  the  energetic  means  to  execute  them  as  they  ought  to  be ; 
soaring  above  that  musty  policy  which,  in  its  wary  thrift  of  the 
expedient,  would  with  a  world-serving  quietude  preserve  them 
always  as  they  are :  having  the  power  to  acomplish  great  and  use- 
ful works,  only  because  it  wastes  no  time  on  small  and  selfish  ones; 
and  pasing  a  life  of  warfare  in  detecting  the  impostures  and  folies 
of  its  own  age,  that  the  unenvious  verdict  of  the  next,  like  the 
celebrated  response  by  the  Oracle  of  Delphi,  may  pronounce  it  the 
chief  in  wisdom  and  in  virtue. 


BRIEF   ANALYSIS 


OF 


SONG   AND    RECITATIVE. 


■  iiiie  9  9«"»- 


When  the  phenomena  of  Speech,  Song,  and  Recitative,  are 
regarded  independently  of  verbal  distinctions,  they  display  a  nearer 
resemblance  than  is  discoverable  by  a  general  view  of  their  efects 
and  names.  It  is  the  Disclosing  duty  of  Philosophy  to  show  us 
the  real  existences  of  things ;  to  remove  many  of  those  lines  of 
subdivision  which  the  poor  conveniences  of  clasification  have 
adopted,  and  to  exhibit,  as  available  with  finite  resources,  that 
clear  and  comprehensive  picture  of  Nature,  surveyed  at  once  and 
always,  by  the  Discernment  of  her  own  self-present,  and  self- 
percipient  eye. 

To  the  comon  ear,  speech  and  song  are  totaly  diferent.  Let 
us  examine  their  relationships  .by  a  comparison  of  their  several 
constituents. 

In  taking  up  this  subject,  I  have  no  new  vocal  function  to  de- 
scribe. Song  and  Recitative  are  respectively  only  certain  combi- 
nations of  the  five  modes  of  sound,  and  their  forms,  degrees,  and 
varieties,  including  the  protracted  radical,  and  vanishj  enumerated 
in  the  preceding  history  of  speech.  It  is  my  design  in  pointing 
out  briefly,  the  maner  of  these  combinations ;  to  complete  the 
survey  of  vocal  science;  and  if  the  expresive  use  of  the  voice 
does  at  all  admit  the  Pretensions  of  Recitative^  to  show  the  rela- 
tionship between  its  three  leading  divisions. 

38  (585) 


586  A   BRIEF   AJSTALYSIS   OF  SONG. 


OF  SONG. 

The  art  of  Vocal  Music  has  long  been  studiously  cultivated ; 
and  altho  it  has  never  yet  receved  a  full  elementary  analysis,  either 
of  its  constituents  or  their  agency,  its  investigators  have  acu- 
mulated  a  mass  of  observation,  and  framed  a  body  of  rules  for 
governing  the  great  and  brilliant  results  of  its  practical  execution. 

It  is  at  this  time,  beyond  botli  my  design  and  ability  to  ofer  a 
detailed  consideration  of  the  topic  before  us.  The  oportunities 
for  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  Song,  as  well  as  on  that  of  all  the 
Esthetic  Arts,  are  too  limited  in  this  country,  to  aford  useful  com- 
panionship in  knowledgej  the  broader  rules  of  tastej  and  eminent 
Examples  of  inteligence  joined  with  executive  skillj  to  furnish  a 
record  of  facts  and  principles,  in  that  order  and  with  that  clearnes 
which  always  characterize  a  direct  transcript  from  nature.  It 
becomes  the  American,  in  considering  this  subject,  to  contribute 
only  his  own  personal  observation ;  leaving  a  further  description 
of  the  singing-voice,  to  the  ample  means  of  European  experience, 
education,  and  exact  inquiry.  I  propose  to  give  a  general  acount 
of  the  functions  of  song ;  leaving  it  to  those  whom  it  may  pro- 
fesionaly  concern,  to  make  a  practical  aplication  of  the  facts  and 
principles  here  developed,  or  to  regard  them  only  as  a  pastime  of 
knowledge,  in  natural  history. 

As  song  consists  in  certain  combinations  of  the  five  modes  of 
the  voice  employed  in  speech,  the  proposed  analysis  will  be  given 
under  the  same  general  heads :  and  firstj 

Of  the  Pitch  or  Intonation  of  Song.  Song  has  every  direction 
and  extent  of  intonation  ascribed  to  speech  ;  together  ■\vitii  two 
forms,  which  do  not  belong  to  the  later. 

In  the  second  section  of  the  analysis  of  speech,  I  dcscril)ed 
those  peculiar  modifications  of  the  concrete;  the  ProtractcH.1  Radi- 
cal, and  Vanish.  In  their  most  simple  form  they  consist  respect- 
ively of  a  faint  and  rapid  concrete  thru  the  interval  of  a  tone, 
joined  to  a. level  line  of  ])itch.  Ijct  us  call  the  former  of  these 
constituent  movements,  the  (iuick-concrete ;    and  the  latter  the 


A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  587 

Note.     Of  the  quick-concrete  and  prolonged  note,  there  are  two 
conditions. 

In  the  Firstj  the  quick-concrete  rises  and  terminates  in  the  note 
at  the  sumit  of  the  interval ;  constituting  the  Protracted  Vanish. 
The  ascent  by  this  continuation  of  quick-concrete  and  note,  thru 
the  seven  places  of  the  musical  scale  is  ilustrated  by  the  folowing 
notation  of  time  and  pitch. 


-if^- 


^^^^e^ 


^^ 


In  the  Second  condition,  the  prolonged  Note  begins  on  the  radi- 
cal line.  At  its  termination,  the  quick-concrete  rises  to  the  sumit 
of  the  interval ;  constituting  the  Protracted  Radical.  In  ascending 
the  scale,  by  this  combination  of  note  and  concrete,  the  progresion 
is  made  acording  to  the  folowing  notation. 


■  —4.04'-^'' 


By  these  two  conditions,  we  learn  that  the  note  always  has  the 
quick-concrete,  before  or  after  it; 

Song  variously  employs  both  these  movements ;  the  protracted 
radical  less  frequently  perhaps  than  the  protracted  vanish :  the 
voice  in  its  instinctive  intonation,  apearing  to  fall  more  readily 
into  the  later.  Not  having  however  suficiently  examined  this 
point,  I  leave  it  for  future  inquirers.  Regarding  the  vocal  efed  or 
expresion  in  these  two  forms  of  the  protracted  note,  there  seems  to 
be  no  diference  between  them  ;  and  should  no  betor  cause  be  found 
for  the  singer's  choice  in  taking  one  or  the  other,  it  might  per- 
haps, in  some  cases,  be  decided  by  the  character  of  the  elements 
on  which  it  is  executed.  The  radicals  of  the  dipthongs,  a- we, 
a-h,  and  ou-i,  having  more  volume  than  their  respective  vanishes 
e-rr  and  oo-ze,  would  be  chosen  for  the  protracted  note.     When  a 


588  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF   SONG. 

subtonic  begins,  and  a  tonic  ends  a  sylable,  tlic  protracted  vanish 
would  be  taken.  When  a  subtonic  both  begins  and  ends  a  sylable, 
there  may  be  a  motive  for  a  choice  between  them.  Hence  a  singer, 
with  reference  to  the  more  agreeable  sound,  and  more  impresive 
efect  of  a  long-drawn  note,  would  use  the  protracted  radical,  or 
protracted  vanish,  as  the  construction  of  the  sylable  might  alow. 

The  time  of  the  concrete-rise  in  the  foregoing  scales,  is  repre- 
sented by  a  semiquaver,  and  that  of  the  note,  by  a  semibreve,  two 
comparative  terms  in  music,  expresing  the  proportion  of  one  to 
sixteen ;  yet  the  proportion  may  vary. 

In  the  great  System  of  Song,  there  is  a  Simple,  and  a  more 
Complex  structurej  formed  respectively,  by  the  discrete,  and  by 
the  concrete  movements  of  the  voice. 

The  sucesions  of  pitch  in  song,  represented  by  the  preceding 
scales,  being  made  with  a  discrete  skip  to  proximate  degrees,  with- 
out a  continuous  slide  from  one  note  into  anotherj  a  vocal  melody 
founded  on  these  scales,  forms  the  Plainest  kind  of  song,  resem- 
bling the  discrete  music  of  a  flute. 

In  this  kind  of  melody,  the  length  of  the  note,  when  compared 
with  the  concrete,  is  diferent,  acording  to  the  time  of  the  musical 
composition.  Its  longest  quantity  may  excede  the  proportion 
represented  in  the  above  scales.  In  its  shortest,  the  note  is  droped ; 
and  the  double  form,  of  note  and  quick-concrete,  thereby  changed 
to  a  single  equable  concrete.  This  ocurs  in  quick-timed  songsj 
which  therefore  strongly  resemble  speech ;  and  were  it  not  for  an 
ocasional  prolonged  note  with  wide  skips  of  radical  pitch,  and  a 
bared  rythmus,  they  would  pass  for  it.  Much  skill  is  therefore 
not  required  to  sing  a  comic  song,  the  greater  part  of  its  intonation 
being  in  the  equable  concrete. 

The  foregoing  diagrams  of  the  tone,  represent  the  most  simple 
form  of  the  united  quick-concrete  and  protractotl-note  of  song. 
But  other  scales  of  wider  concretes  may  be  constructed. 

The  following  diagram  represents  the  protractc<l  vanish;  with  a 
concrete,  varying  from  a  second  to  an  eighth ;  and  a  wider  range 
of  the  concrete  might  be  exhibited,  for  song  ocusionaly  uses  it. 
Having  given  above,  a  full  scale  of  the  concrete  of  a  second  with 
its  protracted  vanish,  it  is  unecesary  to  show  a  particular  one,  tor 
each  of  the  other  intervals.     The  Header  can  from  the  folowing 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF  SONG. 


589 


sumarv,  do  this  on  paper  for  himself,  by  drawing  a  full  scale,  with 
the  concrete  of  a  third j  another  full  scale,  with  the  concrete  of  a 
fourth ;  and  to  the  octave.  And  here,  as  the  interval  of  the  con- 
crete widens,  the  disproportion,  both  in  extent  and  time,  between 
the  note  and  concrete  diminishes,  and  the  later  loses  its  relative 
distinction  of  Quick. 


Taking  this  diagram,  with  the  page  inverted,  it  will  exhibit  the 
notation  of  a  Protracted  Radical  with  an  isuing  concrete  of  the 
several  intervals  of  the  scale ;  observing,  that  here  we  begin  with 
the  octave'j  a  diference  of  no  acount  in  the  explanation.  Of  this 
form,  the  Reader  can  also  draw  the  several  full  scales,  with  a  dif- 
ering  concrete  ;  giving  thereby  a  representation  of  all  the  element- 
ary forms  of  the  protracted  radical  and  protracted  vanish,  with 
their  rising  concretes  of  every  extent,  used  in  song. 

Again,  song  employs  the  downward  concrete  in  conection  with 
the  Protracted  notes ;  and  of  these  movements  there  are  two  con- 
ditions. The  First  descends  by  the  concrete,  and  terminates  in 
the  protracted  note.  The  Second,  on  the  contrary,  begins  with  the 
protracted  note,  and  then  descends  by  the  concrete,  as  in  the  fol- 
lowing ilustrationj  where  only  the  third,  fifth,  and  octave  are  rep- 
resented ;  but  the  Reader  can  make  for  himself  a  full  scale  for 
each  of  the  other  intervals,  under  both  conditions. 


First  Condition. 


Second  Condition. 


There  is  another  form  of  the  junction  of  note  and  concrete,  used 
in  song,  consisting  of  the  above  two  conditions  united.     The  first 


590  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

condition  may  have  a  note  at  the  beginning  of  its  concrete,  and  the 
second  a  note  at  its  end  ;  the  concrete  in  each  case  being  between 
two  notes.  Of  this  the  Reader  can  for  himself,  draw  a  full  scale 
for  each  diferent  concrete,  with  its  protracted  note. 

Song  then  has  two  conditions  of  the  rising  and  two  of  the  faling 
movement;  severaly  formed  by  a  union  of  the  concrete  of  every 
interval,  respectively  with  the  begining  or  the  end  of  the  pro- 
tracted note :  and  a  third,  in  which  the  protracted  note  is  at  both 
the  begining,  and  the  end  of  the  concrete. 

What  was  remarked  concerning  the  length  of  the  note,  in  the 
scale  of  the  concrete  second,  may  be  said  of  the  other  scales,  with 
their  diferent  intervalsj  that  the  proportion  between  the  note  and 
the  concrete  may  vary  till  the  former  disapears  altogether,  and  the 
movement  becomes  like  the  equable  concrete  of  the  several  rising 
and  falling  intervals  of  speech :  and  further,  that  as  the  concrete 
is  widened,  there  may  be  an  equality  between  the  two.  All  which 
cases  ocur  in  the  execution  of  the  Elaborate  or  Florid  Song. 

Let  us  supose  the  forms  of  the  concrete,  without  the  apendage 
of  the  note,  to  be  united  into  one  continuous  line  of  contrary  flex- 
ure. This  produces,  with  or  without  an  abrupt  radical,  the  wave 
of  song ;  and  inasmuch  as  Ave  have  concretes  of  every  interval  and 
in  every  direction,  so  they  may  be  combined  into  every  form  of  the 
wave.  But  besides  this  simple  form,  which  is  that  of  speech,  the 
wave  may  cither  begin  Avith  a  protracted  note,  or  end  with  one ; 
or  both  begin  and  end  with  one.  And  these  conditions,  like  the 
others,  are  heard  only  for  dificulty's  sake,  in  the  twists  and  turns 
of  the  Florid  Song. 

Song  likewise  employs  the  Tremulous  movement  on  the  pro- 
tracted note,  the  concrete,  and  the  wave. 

These  are  the  several  constituents  of  intonation  in  song;  and 
from  the  simple  and  limited,  or  complex  and  extended  use  of  their 
two  elements,  the  protracted  note  and  the  concretcj  song  may  be 
regarded  under  two  divisions.     First,  as 

Discrete-Song  ;  or  the  progrcsion  of  a  melody,  formed  soley  of 
the  protracted  radical,  or  of  the  protracted  vanish,  with  the  con- 
crete of  a  second  or  tone,  or  of  its  wave,  and  a  tliscrete  ihange  of 
radical  pitch  on  any  interval.     And  second,  as 

Concrete-Song;    consisting  of  a  continuous  movement  by  the 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS    OF   SONG.  591 

wider  intervals,  both  in  an  upward  and  downward  direction ; 
mingled  with  protracted  notesj  with  a  wider  radical  pitchj  with 
the  various  forms  of  the  wavej  and  with  every  variety  and  degree 
of  stres.  In  Discrete  song,  the  formality  of  the  voice  resembles 
that  of  an  instrument  with  fixed  notes :  and  in  the  Concrete^  that 
endles  interchange  among  all  the  forms  and  varieties  of  vocality, 
force,  time,  and  pitch,  resembles  the  unmeaning  permutations,  in 
the  voice  of  the  mocking-bird. 

I  here  in  pasing,  allude  to  the  subject  of  articulation  in  songj 
as  it  is  the  management  of  pitch  which  secures  the  distinctnes  of 
this  function. 

It  was  shown,  that  one  of  the  requisites  for  distinct  pronuncia- 
tion in  speech,  is  a  just  aportionment  of  the  concrete,  to  the  literal 
elements.  The  audibility  of  the  words  in  song  depends  in  part 
upon  the  same  principle ;  for  tho  the  peculiar  intonation  of  the 
protracted  note,  destroys  the  general  character  of  speech,  it  does 
not  alter  the  rule  of  sylabication.  The  corect  articulation  of  song 
however,  requires  a  further  atention  to  the  acentuation  of  words, 
and  to  their  sylabic  quantity.  The  management  of  these  matters 
lies  with  the  composer  and  the  poet.  I  have  only  to  remark,  that 
v/hen  the  acent  and  quantity  of  sylables  are  adjusted  to  the  acent 
and  time  of  musical  composition,  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the 
voice,  and  the  required  diligencej  a  qualified  person  may  learn  to 
sing,  in  the  plain  melody,  or  discrete  song,  with  as  distinct  an  ar- 
ticulation as  he  speaks.  I  say  in  plain  melody ;  for  the  wonderful 
Lofty  vocal- Tumbling  of  the  florid  and  ambitious  song,  has  often 
as  little  to  do  with  sylables  and  words,  as  it  has  with  Expresion ; 
or  with  anything  else  than  Dificulty,  profitable  Engagements,  and 
Aplause.  Writers  on  vocal  science  with  the  united  resources  of 
the  old  elocution,  have  endeavored  to  instruct  us  on  this  subject ; 
yet  the  same  preceptive  page  which  enjoins  its  importance,  directs 
that  the  vowels  should  principally  compose  the  strain  of  utterance. 
The  vowel  or  tonic  sounds  have  the  purest  and  most  agreeable 
vocality  for  songj  and  unfortunately  alow  fashionable  singers  to 
vocalize  themselves  out  of  their  articulation,  and  astonish  an  audi- 
ence out  of  a  natural  ear  and  its  educated  taste;  but  it  is  also 
certain,  that  a  sylable  in  plain  melody,  is  distinctly  recognized,  by 
its  proper  acent,  and  by  the  proper  aportionment  of  quantity 


592  A   BRIEF  ANALYSIS  OF  SONG. 

among  its  elements.  Here  the  purposes  in  these  writers  seem  to 
be  at  variance.  It  is  the  vocalist's  duty  to  reconcile  them,  by 
making  distinct  articulation  agreeable. 

The  preceding,  is  a  general  acount  of  the  structure  of  pitch  in 
song.  The  maner  of  using  it,  in  combination  with  other  con- 
stituents, will  be  described  hereafter.* 

*  Upon  a  review  of  our  history  of  tlie  intonation  of  speech  and  song,  it 
seemed  to  mej  the  efect  of  the  discrete  scale  of  the  later  with  its  isuing 
vanish,  might  be  produced  on  some  musical  instruments. 

I  had  designed,  as  an  experiment,  to  conect  a  square  and  single  organ-pipe 
■with  its  finger-key,  for  a  single  note,  by  means  of  compound  levers,  so  that 
the  same  touch  which  raises  the  wind-valve  should,  at  a  suceding  moment, 
raise  a  hinged  shuter  on  one  side  of  the  pipe,  at  its  open  end  ;  the  object  of 
this  shuter  being  to  cover  an  oblong  aperture,  or  ventage,  reaching  from  the 
very  end  of  the  pipe,  so  far  towards  its  sounding-lip,  as  to  raise  the  pitch  a 
tone  or  second  when  the  shuter  should  be  opened. 

This  shuter  having  its  center  of  motion  towards  the  sounding-lip,  was  to 
overlap  the  edges  of  the  oblong  ventage :  the  under  surface  of  this  shuter,  to 
have  a  block  atached  to  it,  for  entering  and  closing  the  ventage,  the  overlap 
of  the  shuter  forming  a  rebate  or  covering-edge  to  the  sides  of  the  aperture. 
This  block  to  be  of  some  thickness  and  beveled  with  its  sharp  angle  towards 
the  end  of  the  pipe;  that  when  the  shuter,  together  with  the  beveled  block 
closing  the  ventage,  should  be  raised,  the  ventage  would  be  gradiialy  opened, 
and  the  intonation  be  thus  made  to  rise  gradually,  with  a  concrete  movement. 
"With  the  shuter  entirely  opened,  the  long  note  then  produced  imediately 
folowing  the  concrete,  might  give  the  instrumental  execution  of  the  protracted 
vanish. 

In  the  transitions  of  melody  with  such  a  contrivance,  it  would  be  ncc-esary 
that  the  valve  in  the  wind-chest  should  be  made  to  close  before  the  shuter, 
otherwise  the  gradual  descent  of  the  shuter,  would  make  a  faling  concrete,  on 
every  note. 

I  here  state  the  principle  on  which  an  experiment  may  be  tried  by  those 
who  have  ability,  time,  and  convenience  for  such  things.  Other  modes  may 
be  contrived  by  persons  of  mechanical  clevernes,  for  producing  the  concrete 
movement  on  a  sounding-pipe  either  of  metal  or  wood. 

Perhaps  this  mechanism  might  be  conected  with  the  vox-humana  stop  of 
an  organ,  or  even  the  ventages  of  a  bassoon.  If  this  is  practicable,  it  may 
give  to  instruments  a  little  more  of  the  character  of  the  singing  voice  than 
they  at  present  poses. 

I  cannot  say  how  much  further  the  principle  might  be  aplicd,  for  ading  the 
wider  ranges  of  the  concrete,  by  a  ventage  of  greater  reach  in  the  pipe.  The 
mechanism  even  for  the  Second  would  not  bo  simple,  and  the  management  of 
more  than  one  concrete-key,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  might  be  beyond  the  dexterity 
of  the  ])layor.    "What  could  bo  done  on  barel-organ?,  machinists  can  host  toll. 

Automaton  Figures  have  been  mudo  to  speak,  as  it  is  calod  ;  but  it  is  in  the 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  593 

Oj  the  Thne  of  Song.  Time  is  here  considered,  only  in  rela- 
tion to  individual  constituents,  not  to  the  general  construction  of 
melody  and  its  rythmus. 

Time  is  used  with  every  degree  of  duration,  on  the  note,  on  the 
upward  and  downward  concrete,  and  on  the  wave.  When,  in 
quick-timed  song  it  is  so  short  as  to  exclude  the  note,  the  effect 
of  the  individual  act  of  intonation  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the 
radical  and  vanish  of  speech. 

Of  Vocality  in  Song.  Vocality  has  the  same  character  and 
effect,' in  song  and  in  speech.  But  the  long  quantities  of  the  for- 
mer consisting  of  the  protracted  tonics,  they  are  here  more  obvious. 
It  may  be  harsh,  full,  slender,  and  nasal,  and  what  is  called  in 
the  language  of  the  schools.  Pure  Tone.  This  subject  is  how- 
ever so  well  kno's\Ti  to  singers,  as  to  need  no  further  consideration 
here. 

A  subject  of  physiological  inquiry,  connected  equally  with  song 
and  speech,  here  deserves  our  notice.  It  is  learned  by  a  few  trials, 
that  all  the  tonic  and  most  of  the  other  elements  may  be  made 
individually  by  the  act  of  Inspiration,  The  vocality  is  strangely 
altered  ;  still  the  characteristic  sound  is  complete.  It  would  seem 
thenj  the  vocal  functions  are  practicable  both  in  the  ebb  and  the 
flow  of  respiration^  tho  the  former  has  been  universally  appointed 
to  carry  out  the  continued  current  of  s}>eech.  As  the  inward  flow 
of  inspiration  permits  the  utterance  of  only  a  single  word,  or  at 
most  three  or  four,  the  effect  of  inward  sjDeech  resembles  that  of 
infants,  upon  their  first  attempts  in  expired  speech.  We  have  not 
for  the  purpose  of  inward  speech,  the  Holding-breath,  as  we  for- 
merly called  it,  and  therefore  the  act  of  inspiration,  bearing  its 
single  word,  immediately  fills  the  lungs,  as  the  Exhausting-breath 
with  the  infant,  reversely  drains  them,  and  cuts  off  the  coursQ  of 
utterance. 

thoro  stress  of  the  protracted  note  proper  to  song.  Would  not  the  imitation 
of  speech  be  nearer,  if  the  sound  were  by  its  instrumental  cause,  formed  into 
the  equable  concrete  ? 

On  the  whole,  I  shall  be  sory  if  any  one  should  lose  his  labor  by  a  vain 
working  at  this  problem.  It  is  not  the  odd-ends  of  time  that  ever  do  anything 
well :  and  if  the  schemer  should  be  disposed  to  devote  one  useful  day,  to  the 
wasteful  hazards  of  mechanical  ingenuity,  in  such  maters  as  here  proposed, 
let  him  take,  at  the  same  time,  a  hint  of  caution. 


594  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

It  may  then  be  made  a  question,  \vhether  by  a  practice  as  long 
and  assiduous  as  that  which  gives  command  over  the  time  of  ex- 
piration, the  same  holding-breath  might  not  be  attained  in  inspi- 
ration ;  and,  should  the  vocality  of  this  inward  voice,  be  im- 
provable, M'hether  it  might  not  be  employed  in  the  purposes  of 
singing,  for  sustaining  the  voice  indefinitely,  and  for  insuring  a 
continuous  intonation  in  the  higher  intricacies  of  execution.  It 
is  knownj  this  power  has  been  attained  in  whistling,  both  as 
regards  shrilness,  and  the  accuracy  of  pitch :  and  tho  in  this  case, 
the  command  over  the  holding-breath  of  expiration,  far  surpasses 
the  command  over  that  of  inspiration,  still,  the  turning  point  for 
inhaling  may  be  rendered  almost  imperceptible,  under  the  con- 
troling  power  that  does  exist.  It  has  been  proposed  to  apply  the 
command  over  inspired  speech,  to  the  cure  of  stammering:  but 
this  irregular  articulation  may  depend  on  unknown  causes,  in  tlie 
mind  as  well  as  in  the  vocal  muscle,  and  on  a  defective  consent 
between  them ;  in  which  case,  no  advantage  would  be  gained  by 
inhaled  articulation.* 

Of  Force  of  Voice  in  Song.  Force  has  reference  either  to  the 
general  drift  of  the  voice,  or  to  its  individual  movements.  We 
shall  consider  it  only  in  the  latter  relation. 

All  the  forms  of  strcs  we  have  ascribed  to  speech  are  found  in 
song.  This  is  true,  not  only  of  the  equable  concrete,  sometimes 
used  in  the  short  impulses  of  the  singing  voice ;  but  the  radical, 
the  median,  and  the  vanishing  stress,  are  also  severaly  aplied  to 
the  protracted  note,  and  to  every  course  and  extent  of  the  wave. 

The  full  and  abrupt  radical  being  always  preceded  by  an  oclusionj 
it  may  have  a  place  at  the  outset  of  all  the  forms  of  the  concrete j 
and  at  the  outset  of  the  protracted  radical  or  the  note,  represented 
in  the  two  conditions  of  the  preceding  diagram.  A  note  at  the 
termination  of  a  rising  or  of  a  falino;  concrete  cannot  receve  the 
radical  stress. 

The  greater  duration  of  time,  aloted  to  the  diferent  forms  of 
the  concrete  and  to  the  protracted  notes,  beyond  that  alowable  in 

*  The  Opera,  and  Concert  Hall,  in  their  Aiietions  of  Fame,  hid  high  for  tho 
execution  of  vocal  dificulties.  Here  then  is  the  chaneo  of  an  enormous  pay, 
for  suces  in  what,  as  known,  has  never  heen  done  hefore  ;  and  what  at  tirst 
thot,  may  seem  to  bo  imi)osihle. 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF  SONG.  595 

speech,  gives  rise  to  a  modification  of  the  median  stres  or  swell, 
not  practicable  on  the  sylabic  concrete  of  discourse ;  for  more  than 
one  of  these  swells  may  be  set  on  the  same  note  ;  or  the  force  may 
diminish  and  increase  alternately.  The  median  stres  may  also 
on  a  protracted  quantity,  slightly  resemble  respectively  that  of  the 
radical  and  of  the  vanish,  by  sudenly  enlarging  in  the  course  of 
the  prolongation  and  gradualy  diminishing ;  and  by  the  reverse. 
This  however,  is  a  physiological  refinement ;  and  we  are  not  yet 
ready  for  its  practical  use. 

Some  of  the  streses  are  perhaps  aplicable  to  the  radical  and 
vanish,  on  the  short  sylabic  intonation  of  comic  song. 

A  very  remarkable  use  of  force  is  made  by  the  compound  stres, 
in  that  vocal  ornament  caled  the  Trill,  or  Shake. 

The  shake  is  described  to  be,  a  rapid  alternation  of  a  lower 
with  an  uper  note,  on  proximate  degrees  of  the  diatonic  scale.  In 
stricter  definition,  it  is  a  rapid  alternation  of  two  vocal  or  instru- 
mental momentary  sounds,  for  they  are  not  7iotes,  on  the  extremes 
of  a  tone  or  a  semitone.  Let  us  call  these  two  constituents  of 
the  shake,  its  Co-sounds. 

We  learned  that  every  concrete  impulse  on  a  tonic  or  subtonic 
element,  necesarily  consists  of  a  radical  and  vanish.  Conse- 
quently, when  we  make  two  sucesive  impulses  on  diferent  degrees 
of  pitch,  each  must  have  these  two  esential  portions  of  the  con- 
crete. But  as  the  radical  with  its  vanish  consumes  more  time 
than  the  radical  alone ;  and  as  the  radical  is  an  abrupt  opening, 
after  an  oclusion,  there  would  be,  in  this  maner  of  making  the 
shake,  a  delai/  from  employing  the  whole  time  of  the  two  portions 
of  each  concrete  ;  as  well  as  a  momentary  2^nuse,  between  the 
close  of  the  vanish  on  the  first,  and  the  opening  of  the  radical 
on  the  second.  The  shake  then  being  a  rapid  iteration  of  two  co- 
sounds,  without  aparent  interuption,  it  cannot  be  made  by  a  series 
of  concrete  impulses  each  having  its  radical  and  vanish.  For 
should  a  singer  try  to  execute  a  shake  by  taking  the  whole  of  the 
di})thong  a-le,  as  one  of  the  co-soundsj  he  cannot,  by  any  efort, 
give  its  characteristic  rapidity,  when  the  first  sound  of  a-le  is  the 
begining  of  each  of  its  sucesive  co-sounds ;  as  the  vanish,  c-ve 
must  necesarily  folow  the  radical  a-le,  we  employ  the  whole  time 
of  both  the  radical  and  vanish j  which  makes  each  co-sound  too 


596  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

long  for  a  rapid  execution  of  the  sliake.  By  asigning  each  of  the 
co-sounds  respectively  to  the  radical,  and  to  the  sumit  of  the  vanish 
of  this  dipthong,  thus  forming  the  Compound  Stres,  there  will  be 
no  insuperable  dificulty  in  its  execution.  And  the  same  is  true  of 
a  shake  on  the  other  dipthongs,  their  respective  co-sounds  being 
diferent  in  elemental  vocality.  In  the  case  of  the  monothongs, 
their  several  co-sounds  are  the  same. 

The  rapid  execution  of  the  shake,  and  the  momentary  impulse 
of  its  co-sounds,  make  it  a  dificult  subject  of  investigation.  The 
resemblance  however,  of  the  intonation  of  the  vocal,  to  that  of  an 
instrumental  shake,  afords  a  proof  that  the  former  like  the  latter, 
consists  of  two  sounds  on  diferent  degrees  of  pitch.  It  also 
apears,  from  the  like  ilustration  by  an  instrument,  that  the  co- 
sounds,  tho  of  diferent  degrees  of  pitch,  are  of  equal  time,  volume, 
and  force.* 

*  It  may  seem,  that  the  shake  might  bo  made  by  each  of  the  co-sounds  being 
the  momentary  uterance  of  what  we  caled  the  rapid  concrete  :  and  as  this 
instinctively  flies  over  -ivith  the  radical  and  vanish,  aparently  as  quick  as  a 
single  co-sound,  our  explanation  of  an  artificial  and  very  dificult  maner  of 
deriving  the  fluent  and  rapid  movement  of  the  shake,  from  the  slow  acentual- 
eforts  of  the  compound  stress  7nay  seem  to  be  unecesary  or  incorect.  It  may 
seem,  being  by  the  mass  of  mere  Thinkers,  from  interest  or  other  motive,  so 
readily  changed  into  it  is^  there  is  no  calculating  the  mischief  it  has  done. 
I  will  not  therefore  opose  what  viay  seem  on  one  side,  by  what  ??irn/  secrn  on 
the  otherj  for  we  should  then  have  to  invoke  the  aid  of  Plato,  Aristotle,  and 
the  ancient  as  well  as  the  modern  itinerant  and  lecturing  Sophists^  but  will 
only  state,  that  the  m,ay  seem,  on  our  side,  has  already  been  submited  to  de- 
cisive observation,  and  experiment,  in  the  instinctive  tremor  of  the  voice ;  and 
we  have  in  the  Gurgle  of  the  throat,  an  iteration  of  the  rapid  concrete  with 
hoik  lia  radical  and  vanish.  Now  this  is  not  a  shake;  nor  can  any  skill  or 
velocity  ever  make  one  of  it.  Vocalists  call  it  the  '  Goat's  Quiver,'  or  some 
such  name,  without  being  able  to  show  the  diference  of  structure  between  tho 
Quiver  and  the  Shake.  Our  history  tolls  us  that  the  Gurgle  or  Quiver  is 
formed  by  tho  Tittles  of  the  second  or  of  the  semitone,  on  the  tremulous  scale; 
the  Shake,  by  a  rapid  execution  of  the  compound  stres,  on  either  of  these  in- 
tervals. Before  the  invention  of  the  shakej  which  is  altogether  Artificial,  and 
is  said  to  be  of  comparatively  recent  aplication  to  songj  this  Gurgle,  or  '  Trem- 
bling,' as  tho  French  formerly  caled  it,  was  used  as  a  vocal  ornament.  It  is 
instinctively  practiced  for  Laughter  and  Crying,  and  for  other  purposes  in 
the  human  voice;  is  found  among  sub-animals  of  all  clases:  and  is  distin- 
guished from  the  shako  by  tho  sliglitly  abrupt  and  chatoring  radical  of  tho 
tittles.  In  tho  aspirated  grating,  scratohiiig  or  cliatoring  of  the  insoct-voioo, 
the  tremor  is  exemplified  by  our  comon  Black  Cricketj  Achcta  abbrcviata ;  and 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF  SONG.  597 

From  our  previous  views,  the  formation  of  the  shake  may  be 
described  under  two  conditions;  in  each,  the  delay  that  might 
arise  from  every  impulse  having  both  a  radical  and  a  vanishj 
which  we  have  shown,  creates  the  whole  dificulty  of  the  casej  is 
obviatal  by  a  subdivision  of  the  concrete  movement  into  the 
Compound  stres. 

For  representing  the  first  formative  condition^  let  the  sumit 
of  the  concrete  impulse,  or  the  vanishing  portion,  be  enforced  to 
an  equality  with  the  radical.  We  shall  then  have  one  impresive 
sound  at  each  extreme  of  the  impulse,  joined  by  a  smooth  transi- 
tion of  the  fainter  concrete,  and  forming  the  first  two  co-sounds 
of  the  shake ;  which,  in  this  case,  are  both  made  within  the  time 
required  for  one  impulse,  when  that  impulse  contains  both  a  radi- 
cal and  a  vanish.  The  vanishing  stres,  or  what,  in  this  instance, 
is  improperly  caled  the  uper  note  of  the  shake,  being  terminated 
by  an  ocluded  catch,  as  in  the  sob  and  hicup^  the  voice  is  enabled 
by  an  immediate  opening  of  that  oclusion,  to  begin  a  new  radical 
stres,  improperly  caled  the  lower  note  ;  and  by  breaking  from  the 
ocluded  vanish  of  one  impulse  into  the  radical  of  the  next,  and 
so,  saving  the  time  of  transition  on  one  whole  concrete  with  both 
its  radical  and  vanish,  the  rapid  and  aparently  united  co-sounds  of 
the  shake  are  efected.     In  the  folowing  diagramj 

2  4 

TtrrD 


the  lines  a  and  6  denote  two  proximate  degrees  of  the  scale.  The 
figure  1  the  radical  stres,  or  lower  co-sound  of  the  shake :  2  the 
vanishing  stres,  or  uper  co-sound,  on  which  the  voice  is  ocluded. 
In  an  imperceptible  instant,  this  oclusion  breaks  out  into  the  next 
radical  stres  3.  The  voice  is  then  diminished  in  force ;  and  again 
increased  to  its  vanishing  stres,  and  oclusion  at  4. 

the  shake,  tho  not  a  rapid  one,  with  the  median  swell  on  its  course,  by  the 
Cicada  pruinosa,  or  Anual  Locust  of  the  Middle  Slates. 


593  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF   SONG. 

When  made  in  this  way,  the  shake  may  be  considered  as  a  rapid 
iteration  of  the  compound  stres,  between  the  extremes  of  a  tone  or 
a  semitone. 

For  tlie  second  condition,  let  us  take  tlie  first  two  of  the  co- 
sounds,  or  as  we  may  call  them,  co-streses,  described  and  ilustrated 
above.  Deliberate  trial  will  prove  that  an  aplication  of  stres  to 
the  u[)er  extreme  of  the  rising  concrete  at  2,  and  to  the  lower  at  3, 
as  represented  in  the  last  diagram,  in  no  way,  prevents  the  voice, 
from  making  a  downward  continuous  turn,  from  2  to  3,  in  one  case, 
and  an  upward  continuous  turn,  from  3  to  4,  in  the  other,  into  the 
form  of  a  continued  wave :  and  by  an  alternate  sucesion  of  these 
radical  and  vanishing  streses,  or  expansions,  joined  by  the  fainter 
concrete,  but  without  an  oclusion  of  voice,  we  are  able  to  produce 
a  rapid  iteration  of  the  co-sounds  of  the  shake ;  as  represented  in 
the  folowing  diagram^  where  the  voice  opens  at  1,  with  the  radical 
stres ;  then  diminishes  to  the  faint  concrete ;  subsequently  enlarges 
to  the  vanishing  stres  at  2;  then  lolthouf  an  oclusion,  turns  down- 
ward, and  after  diminishing  to  the  faint  concrete,  enlarges  to  the 
stres  in  the  radical  place  at  3 ;  and  in  this  way,  when  rapidly  exe- 
cuted, forms  the  proper  co-sounds,  or  co-streses,  or  co-expansions  of 
the  vocal  shake. 

2         4 


7mm 


1         3 

Under  this  view,  the  shake  is  a  rapid  alternation  of  the  com- 
pound stres,  on  the  rising  and  faling  constituents  of  a  continued 
wave  of  proximate  degrees.  And  by  it  we  learn,  that  the  iterated 
co-sounds  are  not  notes,  but  emphatic  streses  of  no  assignable  time, 
on  the  points  of  contrary  flexure  in  the  wave.  ]5ut  as  there  can 
be  a  sudcn  fulnes  of  the  voice,  only  on  a  fii'st  outbreak  of  the 
radicalj  an  engrafting  of  the  vanishing  stres  on  the  concrete,  at 
the  place  of  the  second  or  uj)er  sound,  nuist  be  made  by  a  swell 
or  expansion  into  the  fulnes  of  that  stres.  From  2,  the  I'ulnes 
being  diminished,  is  again  sweled  into  the  lower  sound  at  3  ;  giving 


A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF   SONG.  599 

the  shake  the  form  represented  in  the  diagram.  This  junction  of 
the  streses  by  an  intermediate  and  atenuated  concrete,  witli  the 
gliding  of  one  into  the  other,  is  the  cause  of  the  smoothncs,  and  of 
the  'hquidity,'  as  it  is  caled,  of  a  skilful  and  finished  execution 
of  this  vocal  ornament.  The  peculiar  maner  of  uniting  this  double 
stress  with  rapid  intonation,  in  the  shake,  not  being  part  of  the 
coloquial  and  slower  uses  of  the  voice,  for  the  compound  stres 
in  speech  consists  of  but  tivo  co-sounds,  it  is  not  surprisingj  the 
power  of  executing  it,  is  unattainable  by  most  singers,  and  only 
acquired,  in  any  case,  after  a  long  time,  by  great  industry  and 
perseverance. 

This  is  an  atempt  to  explain  the  maner  of  combining  stres  and 
intonation  in  the  shake.  And  yet,  I  am  unable  to  give  an  unques- 
tionable description  of  it.  By  a  slow  and  measurable  movement 
of  my  own  voice,  I  perceve,  it  can  be  made  under  each  of  the  con- 
ditions above  described.  When  it  is  quickened  to  its  character- 
istic rapidity,  the  distinct  perception  of  its  structure  and  motion  is 
lost,  and  I  find  it  imposible  to  decide,  which  of  the  conditions  is 
then  employed:  tho  strongly  inclined  to  think  it  is  the  later.  With 
the  asistance  of  the  analysis  here  ofered,  some  other  observer  may 
describe  it  more  definitely. 

Perhaps  the  explanation  here  given,  may  furnish  a  rule  for 
teaching  the  practice  of  the  shake.  A  method  founded  on  this 
analysis,  enabled  me,  Muth  no  other  instructors  than  Observation 
and  Industry,  to  atain  a  comand  over  it,  with  a  precision  and 
rapidity,  suficient  for  the  purposes  of  the  present  investigation : 
which  certainly,  could  not,  unasisted  by  a  Master,  have  been  as 
easily,  if  at  all  acomplished,  without  a  knowledge  of  the  com- 
pound stres,  experimentaly  aplied  in  reference  to  the  radical  ex- 
plosion, and  the  vanishing  sob.  It  would  be  dificult  to  say,  how 
far  the  aid  of  our  description  might  lesen  the  time  and  labor  of 
the  Conservatorio,  in  teaching  the  practice  of  the  shake. 

As  the  compound  stres  is  practicable  on  every  interval,  so  a 
shake  might  be  com}X)Scd  of  an  iteration  of  that  stres  on  the  ex- 
tremes of  wider  intervals:  and  a  slow  shake  of  this  kind,  is  some- 
times heard  among  the  tricks  of  the  Florid  song :  but  it  is  not 
technicaly  clased  with  that  ornament.  It  has  a  singular,  and  as  I 
have  heard  it,  not  an  agreeable  efect ;  and  the  M'idth  of  the  con- 


600  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OP  SONG. 

Crete,  preventing  the  rapidity  of  the  proper  shake,  it  has  not  its 
liquidity,  nor  its  hovering  pre-cadencial  character. 

It  is  a  question  among  vocalists,  whether  the  'acent'  as  they  call 
it,  is  on  the  uper  or  the  lower  'note,'  or  as  we  now  regard  it,  co- 
sound  of  the  shake.  From  our  preceding  acount  of  this  ornament, 
no  cause  apears,  for  a  diference  of  opinion  in  this  case,  and  for 
anything  like  an  acent  on  either.  There  may  be  the  usual  ryth- 
mic perception  of  acent  on  the  bar  or  bars  on  which  the  shake  is 
sustained ;  and  with  this  mental  b&d,  there  might  be  a  slight  mo- 
mentary swell  on  the  co-sounds,  at  the  points  of  these  beats.  But 
I  ciinnot  hear  even  this ;  and  cannot  therefore  beleve  there  is 
an  altetmate  acent  of  force,  much  less  an  inequality  in  time,  be- 
tween the  upper  and  the  lower  co-sounds.  Once  admit  it,  and 
there  would  be  an  alternation  both  of  stress  and  of  pitch  that 
would  destroy  the  even  and  graceful  undulation,  and  the  liquidity 
of  the  shake ;  and  change  the  function  to  that  of  the  tremulous 
gurgle. 

Vocalists  have  described  several  kinds  of  shake.  With  its 
proper  structure  and  efect,  I  can  observe  but  two;  the  diatonic 
and  the  semitonic,  severaly  formed  on  a  tone  and  a  semitone. 
What  has  been  caled  a  Rising  and  a  Falling  shake,  is  perhaps 
only  the  gurgling,  or  rising  and  faling  radical  pitch  of  the  rising 
and  faling  of  the  tremor ;  for  as  the  tremor  is  not  made  up  of  co- 
sounds,  or  compound  streses,  but  of  rapid  concretes  Avith  each  its 
radical  and  vanishj  the  terms  rising  and  faling,  which  do  aply  to 
the  course  of  the  tremor  or  gurgle,  and  not  to  the  continued  line 
of  the  shake,  have  been  improperly  retained,  after  the  introduction 
of  the  peculiar  iteration  on  proximate  co-sounds.  This  true  shake, 
after  continuing  along  its  level  line  of  pitch,  may  be  skipped  a  de- 
gree, or  perhaps  more,  and  then  continued  on  this  new  line.  '  But 
when  caried  directly  upward  or  downward,  by  proximate  degrees, 
on  more  or  less  of  the  scale j  which  would  make  it  a  rising  or 
falling  shakej  the  course  of  the  co-sounds  is  caled  a  Division,  the 
structure  and  movement  of  which  will  be  presently  described. 
Other  shakes  enumerated  in  books,  are  only  particular  uses  of 
that  ornament ;  or  only  combinations  of  it,  with  various  forms  of 
intonation. 

The  meaning  and  peculiar  efect  of  the  shakcj  for  it  cannot  except 


A   BEIEF   AXAIA'SIS   OF  SONG.  601 

on  tl)e  semitone,  be  called  Expresive  of  the  state  of  mindj  may  be 
stated  under  Five  heads;  and  First.  The  most  striking  and 
agreeable  character  of  the  shake  lies  in  its  refined,  its  tunable,  and 
as  it  were,  its  polished  vocality ;  which  however  I  here  consider 
with  reference,  exclusively  to  the  high  pitch  of  the  Soprano  voice. 
In  men,  generaly  speaking,  the  shake,  like  most  of  their  florid 
execution,  denotes  in  their  lower  pitch,  and  rougher  vocality,  little 
more  than  a  muscular  dificulty ;  for  a  low  pitch,  with  a  holow  ful- 
nes,  as  we  learn  from  instruments,  destroys  the  esential  elegance  of 
the  shake ;  yet  perhaps  the  harmony  of  a  tenor  and  soprano,  where 
the  later  takes  the  lead  on  the  ear,  produces  the  most  delightful 
efect  of  this  ornament.  Second.  There  is  in  the  shake,  what  has 
been  called,  its  Liquidity.  This  arises  in  part,  from  its  vocality, 
and  in  part  from  the  smooth  and  rapid  gliding  of  the  concrete  into 
the  expansions  of  the  co-sounds ;  and  is  therefore  more  efective  in 
the  higher  voices  of  women.  Third.  An  agreeable  effect  is  pro- 
duced by  the  variety  of  one  or  more  swells,  in  the  continued  line 
of  the  co-sounds.  Fourth.  The  preceding  remarks  aply  equaly  to 
both  the  shakes.  But  the  semitone  is  distinguished  by  a  pathetic 
character,  moderated  perhaps,  by  the  rapidity  of  the  transit  of  the 
concrete  and  its  co-sounds  thru  the  interval ;  and  by  an  overruling 
impresion  of  vocality;  with  the. liquid  pouring  from  one  co-sound 
to  another,  in  the  curent  of  their  intonation.  Fifth.  I  am  dis- 
posed to  class  the  eject  of  the  shake,  particularly  the  diatonic,  with 
that  of  a  downward  skip,  or  a  concrete  of  the  third,  in  the  Pre- 
pared Cadence  of  speech :  for,  as  it  seemsj  the  balanced  suspen- 
sion or  hawk-like  flutter  of  a  prolonged  shake,  before  its  final 
stoop  to  the  key-note,  creates  the  expectation  of  a  descent,  and 
calls  for  the  imediate  close  of  song,  similar  in  maner  and  efect,  to 
that  of  the  faling  of  a  third,  for  the  prepared  and  reposing  cadence 
of  discourse.  * 

There  is  another  ocasion,  on  which  the  compound  stres  is  used 
in  song. 

When  an  extent  of  the  whole  compas  of  the  voice,  greater  or 
less  than  the  seven  degrees  of  the  scale,  is  ra2)idly  traveled,  but 
with  a  marked  designation  of  each  degree  in  the  flight,  it  is  ealed, 
'  running  a  Division.'  We  have  seen,  in  the  formation  of  the 
shake,  that  adjoining  points  of  the  scale  cannot  be  marked  in  rapid 
39 


602  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SOXG. 

sucesloii  by  concretes,  where  each  contains  both  the  radical  and 
vanish ;  it  is  uecesary  therefore  in  executing  a  Division,  that  the 
compound  stres  should  be  used,  under  one  of  the  two  conditions 
of  its  rapid  execution,  above  described.  In  the  first,  the  concrete 
receves  the  radical  abruptnes,  and  the  vanishing  ocluded  catch. 
This  oclusion  prepares  the  way  for  a  second  radical,  and  by 
sucesive  concretes  of  compound  stres,  with  a  momentary  but 
imperceptible  oclusive  catch  between  them,  the  degrees  of  the 
Division  are  rapidly  traversed,  and  distinctly  marked.  For  the 
second  condition,  we  must  supose  the  voice  to  make  a  concrete 
movement  on  the  scale,  to  the  whole  extent  of  the  designed 
Divisionj  and  the  expansion  of  an  emphatic  stres  to  be  aplied 
on  each  of  the  proximate  degrees  of  the  scale,  \vithin  that  ex- 
tent. This  may  be  ilustrated,  by  suposing  the  chain  of  oblique 
figures  in  the  second  diagram  of  the  shake,  drawn-out  vertically 
to  a  straight  linej  representing  the  streses  on  the  proximate 
des'rees  of  a  risino-  or  a  fallintj;  scale.  A  Division  is  then,  a 
rapid  iteration  of  the  compound  stres,  on  every  proximate  de- 
gree of  the  scale,  for  a  given  extent,  in  an  upward  or  downward 
direction. 

Song  has  various  ways  of  runing  a  division,  or  as  we  may  call 
it,  a  Chain  of  compound  stres.  In  long  sweeps  of  agility,  the 
whole  compas  of  the  voice  may  be  pased  over  in  one  continued 
chain  of  an  upward  or  downward,  so  to  call  it,  knoted  movement ; 
or  the  progres  may  be  less  extensive ;  or  it  may  be  made  by  varied 
groups  of  compound  streses,  with  a  pause  between  the  agrcgates. 
In  short,  the  compas  may  be  traversed  in  numberles  ways,  by  the 
pitch,  time,  and  maner  of  sucesion,  of  the  co-sounds.  ISometimes 
the  run  is  by  the  proximate  step  of  a  semitone :  but  whatever  the 
movements  may  be,  they  are  all  performed  on  the  principle  of  the 
compound  stres.  ' 

Of  the  Melody  of  /Sbn^r. 'Having  described  the  particular  forms 
of  pitcli,  time,  and  stress,  we  may  now  take  a  general  view  of 
their  combinations  into  Melody. 

The  structure  of  melody  exhibits  every  variety  in  the  number 
of  its  constituents,  and  in  their  interchangeable  sucesion,  from  the 
use  of  a  simple  protracted  note  with  its  (piick  and  almost  imper- 
ceptible concrete  of  a  second,  which  we  called  DLscrcte-songj  to 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  603 

that  of  every  form  of  the  concrete,  and  of  every  form  of  stres, 
particnlarly  the  compound j  constituting  'airs  of  agility'  or  'florid 
execution;'  which  we  called  Concrete-song.  This  distinction 
however  serves  only  to  mark  the  extremes  of  a  varied  use  of  the 
voice  ;  song  being  rarely  heard  in  the  strictly  discrete  form ;  and 
when  once  the  concrete  movement  of  wider  intervals  than  the 
second  is  admited,  no  definite  line  of  separation  can  be  drawn 
between  the  constituents  of  its  structure.  It  was  shown,  in  de- 
scribing the  drift  of  melody  in  Speech,  that  the  three  divisions  of 
the  states  of  mind  and  of  the  voice,  manifestly  diiferent  in  their 
several  exclusive  and  restricted  uses,  often  so  run  into  each  other, 
as  to  prevent  a  systematic  separation  of  their  intermingled  signs. 
And  we  have  the  same  dificulty  of  clasification  with  the  intercurent 
melody  or  st}de  of  Song. 

In  general  terms  then,  and  without  pretending  to  describe  the 
confines  of  each,  I  would  call  the  Discrete-melodyj  That  which 
moves  by  proximate  degrees,  and  by  radical  change,  under  the 
form  of  intonation  represented  in  the  first  two  scales  of  the  pro- 
tracted radical  and  vanish ;  and  showing  ocasionaly,  because  it  can 
scarcely  be  avoided,  a  concrete  movement  of  some  of  the  wider 
intervals,  and  of  the  wave.  This  is  the  style  of  song  used  by  the 
Church,  when  the  Choir  is  asisted  by  the  Congregation.  It  is 
suited  to  the  comon  capacity  of  the  voice,  and  resembles  the  in- 
strumental efect  of  the  organ  which  acompanies  it. 

I  would  call  the  Concrete-melody  j  That  disposition  of  the  note, 
concrete,  wave,  compound  stres,  and  every  form  of  time  and  into- 
nation, which,  united  with  the  Discrete,  constitutes,  within  due 
limits,  the  delightful  union  of  nature  and  art,  in  the  expresion  of 
song ;  but  which  forced  beyond  the  just  bounds  of  vocal  facility,, 
produces  the  extraordinary  and  unmeaning  flights  of  a  fantastic 
and  wonder-working  execution.  An  execution  that  has  too  often 
cuningly  joined  the  profits  of  the  Artist  with  the  mere  dificulties 
of  his  art;  and  with  all  Avho  do  not  see  thru  the  vicious  combination, 
confounds  a  fanatical  interest  in  the  vocal  artifices,  name,  and  fashion 
of  a  Singer,  with  the  cultivated  feeling  and  taste  of  a  musical 
ear.  An  execution  that  has  at  last  brought  an  audience,  too  often 
to  mistake  a  faling-in  with  the  noisy  aplause  of  a  surounding 
crowd,  for  their  own  individual  perception  of  the  expresion  of 


604  A  BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

melody,  and  to  the  harmonizing  richnes  of  its  perfecting  acom- 
paniment.* 

Upon  this,  and  our  previous  histor}^,  we  are  now  prepared  to 
sum  up  the  diferences  between  the  construction  of  song  and  speech. 

TJie  Discrete  melody  of  song,  resembling  in  a  few  points  the 
melody  of  speech,  is  still  remarkably  distinguished  from  it,  by  the 
efect  of  the  protracted  note,  and  by  the  more  frequent  ocurrence 
of  wider  transitions  in  the  radical  change. 

In  the  Concrete-melody  of  song,  under  its  most  complicated 
form,  for  I  choose  an  extreme  case,  the  difference  consists  still 
further  in  the  kind,  number,  and  uses  of  its  movements.  The 
range  of  its  melodial  corapas  excedes  that  of  proper  speech.  The 
compound  stress,  under  rapid  iteration  in  the  shake,  and  in  the 
rapid  run  of  divisions,  is  the  most  frequent  constituent  of  airs  of 
agility;  by  the  speaking  voice  it  is  used  only  in  the  two  co-sounds 
of  a  slow  and  single  concrete.  A  function  comon  to  both  is  the 
equable  concrete,  which  is  sometimes  set  to  the  short  sylables  of 
song;  tho  comon  perception  does  not  then  recognize  it  as  a  char- 
acteristic of  speech.  The  wider  waves  too,  ocasionaly  used  for 
emphasis  in  discourse,  ocur  perpetually  in  the  florid  song. 

Oj  the  Expresion  of  Song.  Expresion  in  song,  and  in  other 
music  is  the  condition  or  state  of  mind,  which  in  this  case  Ave 

*  When  this  medley  of  the  vocal  constituents,  with  all  its  studied  ditlcultics, 
was  first  taken  over  to  England,  for  salej  it  was  advertised  as  tlie  Italian 
Maner :  and  indeed  its  manerism  was  then  regarded,  and  properly  too,  as  a 
caricature;  for  certainly  its  Bravura-song  is  an  exageration,  and  its  Recitative 
a  misplaced  distortion  of  the  natural  voice  of  expresion.  But  wonder  and 
novelty  are  the  chief  Idols  of  popular  Taste ;  and  whoever  then  posesed  a 
little  vocal  facility  soon  began  to  imitate  the  long-drawn  concretes  and  waves 
of  the  New  Importation.  To  this  we  owe  the  monotonous  Squeel,  taught  by 
the  Singing-Master  in  the  Italian  Style,  with  its  ever-and-anon  returning 
wave,  surging  upon  the  ear,  and  drowning-out  the  rest  of  the  song:  a  sad  fato 
to  a  Taste  that  ha|)ens  to  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  fashionable  young  lady 
who  frequents  the  Opera,  and  of  the  sowing-girl  over  the  way,  who  has  learned 
from  her,  to  execute  those  every  half-minute  Squeeling  waves,  equally  well. 

It  is  often  easier  to  find  causes,  than  excuses  for  an  ofense.  Perhaps  tho 
universal  fashion,  of  our  Italian-taught  Misses  afeeting  this  repeated  Por.ta- 
inento  and  Sostenido,  in  a  high  Soprano  wave,  with  its  median  stres,  is  en- 
couraged by  a  family  recolection  of  tho  perverse  Squeeling  of  their  little 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  even  of  themselves;  wiien  cliildren  begin  to  have 
their  own  noisy  way  in  the  nursery. 


A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF   SOXG.  605 

properly  call  Feeling',  exerted  by  means  of  the  pitch,  time,  force, 
vocality,  and  abruptnes  of  sound. 

It  apcars  from  this  definition,  that  the  materials  of  expresion 
in  song  are  the  same  as  those  in  speech  :  still  some  diference  will 
be  found  in  their  special  employment,  and  respective  efect,  in  the 
two  cases.  The  Italians  who  have  extensively  taut  us  in  musicj 
and  who,  with  the  purpose  of  their  art  changed  perhaps  to  a  vain- 
glorious authority,  enslave  too  many  fashionable,  and  often  musi- 
cal ears  to  their  National  Manerismj  have  divided  their  song,  with 
reference,  rather  to  the  style  of  its  execution,  and  the  places  in 
which  it  is  displayed,  than  to  its  expresion.  I  am  only  hinting  at 
an  arangement,  upon  the  points  of  its  rudimental  functions  and 
the  mental  state  of  feeling. 

In  a  general  view  of  the  subject  of  expresion,  we  findj  the 
dignit}'  of  Song  is  produced  by  the  same  fulnes  in  vocality,  length 
of  time,  gravity  in  intonation,  and  limitation  of  the  extent  of 
concrete  and  of  radical  pitch,  that  give  an  elevated  and  solemn 
character  to  reading.  There  can  be  no  grandeur  m  a  melody  with 
the  reverse  of  these  conditions. 

A  lively  style  of  song,  on  the  contrary,  like  the  sprightly  maner 
of  discourse,  is  made  by  a  lighter  vocality ;  a  quicker  time ;  wider 
intervals  of  concrete,  and  of  radical  pitch ;  and  a  greater  variety 
in  its  sucesions.  The  Aria  Buffa  or  the  Comic  Song,  generaly 
consists  of  such  short  quantities,  that  most  of  its  sylabic  impulses 
are  made  in  the  true  equable-concrete  of  speech :  and  the  only 
causes,  as  it  apears  to  me,  why  it  is  known  to  be  song,  are  its 
having  a  barred  time,  an  ocasional  long  quantity,  and  a  concrete 
and  radical  pitch  of  wider  intervals,  than  those  of  the  curent  of 
speech. 

The  plaintive  efect  of  the  semitone,  and  of  the  minor  third, 
which  is  only  a  peculiar  position  of  the  semitone,  is  similar  to  the 
chromatic  character  of  spoken  melody.  Perhaps  as  remarked 
above,  we  ought  to  consider  the  expresion  of  the  cadence  as 
similar  in  these  two  uses  of  the  voice ;  for  the  return  to  the  key- 
note in  song,  does,  like  the  intonation  at  the  periods  of  discourse, 
produce  the  agreeable  feeling  of  satisfaction  and  repose. 

Let  us  take  another  and  more  particular  view  of  expresion, 
with  reference  to  the  diferent  kinds  of  melody.     And  Firstj 


606  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

Of  the  Discrete-Song.  This  is  not  without  expresion,  tho  it  falls 
short  of  what  is  efected  by  a  judicious  use  of  the  more  extended, 
and  varied  vocal  movements.  Its  sources  are  derived  from  vo- 
cality,  pitch,  time,  and  stres. 

The  tunable  sound  of  a  prolonged  note  may  give  a  peculiar 
character  to  song.  Fulnes  produces  in  the  hearer  the  state  of 
solemnity ;  smootlmes  that  of  grace ;  and  in  the  grotesk  eforts  of 
the  comic  song,  the  extreme  and  distorted  variations  of  Vocality 
excite  a  perception  of  the  gay  or  the  ridiculous.  On  the  subject 
of  this  last  named  modej  the  principles  of  expresion  are  similar 
in  speech  and  song :  but  perhaps  its  efect  is  more  obvious  in  the 
later. 

The  expresion  of  Pitch  consists  in  the  transition  on  certain  inter- 
vals. The  discrete-melody  can  therefore  display  the  plaintivcnes 
of  the  semitone,  and  ocasionaly  of  the  minor  third ;  together  with 
what  may  be  efected  by  the  sucesions  of  other  intervals  of  the  scale. 

The  Discrete-song  may,  by  its  Time,  be  either  grave  or  gay. 
It  apears,  that  the  longer  quantity  of  song  is  more  agreeable 
than  the  short  sylabic  impulses  of  speech,  even  when  they  each 
have  the  same  melodial  order  of  pitch.  This  perhaps  arises  from 
a  memorial  conection  of  the  jjrotracted  notes  of  song,  with  the 
expresive  efect  of  long  quantity  in  speech ;  for  extended  quantity 
both  in  speech  and  song,  is  always  the  sign  of  either  an  energetic, 
or  dignified  state  of  mind. 

The  radical  and  the  median  stres  are  aplicable  to  the  protracted 
note  of  the  discrete-melody ;  but  a  varied  swell  of  the  median, 
constitutes  the  principal  means  of  expresion.  The  protracted  note 
may  also  bear  the  tremor. 

Some  of  the  less  expresive  forms  of  the  wave  may  be  admited 
into  what  I  have  called,  without  asigning  a  very  definite  boundary 
to  it,  the  discrete-song. 

Our  limited  knowledge,  in  time-past,  of  the  constituents  of 
speech,  together  with  our  vague  and  imperfect  notions  and  nomen- 
clature of  the  states  and  actions  of  the  jnind,  has  created  a  diliculty 
in  aranging  the  intermingled  vocal  signs  of  thot  and  pasion.  It  is 
the  same  with  song.  We  can  asign  no  exact  line  to  the  diference 
between  the  discrete  and  the  concrete  melody.  It  may  however 
asist  the  purpose  of  system  and  nomenclature,  to  make  an  intcrme- 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF  SOXG.  607 

diate  division,  similar  to  that  proposed  in  our  sixtli  section,  for  the 
Inter-thoughtive  or  E-everentive  style.  We  will  then  aply  the 
term  Mixed  melody,  to  a  style  consisting  in  part  of  the  constituents 
of  the  other  tAvo. 

From  some  very  general  descriptions,  and  some  known  particu- 
lars of  the  Greek  song,  it  might  be  infered  that  its  most  esteemed 
melody  was  of  this  JNIixed  character,  enriched  with  all  the  concrete 
graces  of  expresion,  admisible  into  its  simple  structure.  I  speak 
of  song,  rendered  touching,  self-relying,  and  unambitious ;  song, 
with  its  al-suficient  melodial,  andj  as  far  as  then  known,  its  pecu- 
liar harmonic  resources  for  delightj  free  from  vain  intrusion  of 
hard-taught  dificulties ;  and  restricted  to  itself  by  the  efective 
principles  of  Grecian  taste.  For  we  must  supose,  nay  we  know 
from  a  satirical  recordj  there  was  a  like  cold  caprice  in  composi- 
tion, and  a  like  dificulty  in  execution  sometimes  shown-off  for  the 
profit  of  the  Singer,  and  for  the  noisy  excitement  of  an  Athenian 
Audience,  that  at  present  so  often  slight  the  natural  and  universal 
feeling  of  the  ear,  to  exalt  the  fantastic  vanity  of  the  fingers  and 
the  throat. 

In  the  intermediate  style  of  Mixed  melody,  the  simple  dignity, 
pathos,  grandeur,  or  gayety  of  the  discrete,  is  combined  with  the 
more  varied  and  expresive  constituents  of  the  concrete  melody, 
forming  a  peculiar  style  of  song.  A  style,  which  employed  under 
the  direction  of  feeling  and  taste,  produces  efects  in  the  highest 
degree  impresive  and  delightful.  A  style  that  has  been,  is  now, 
and  ever  will  be,  the  most  generaly  gratifying  to  the  instinctive 
and  estheticaly  educated  ear.  For,  while  perceving  and  wonder- 
ing at  muscular  facility  and  precision,  yet  it  rarely  feels  any  efect 
from  concrete  flourishes,  and  agility  in  vocalization,  striving  to  re- 
fine upon  and  to  surpas  itself j  and  which  requires  the  delightful 
melody  of  the  '  Aria '  to  preserve  the  fantastic  mancrisni,  and 
mongrel  recitative  of  the  Italian  Opera  from  the  sadnes  of  a 
meager  audiencej  except  of  those  who  go  to  look  at  one  another's 
dreses,  and  to  think  of  themselves. 

It  has  been  thotj  the  Ccintus  i^lanus  of  the  early  Christian 
Salmody,  improved  afterwards  to  the  Ambrosian  and  the  Grego- 
rian Chant,  is  a  traditional  descent  of  a  form  of  Greek  Temple- 
Music,  thru  the  old  Roman  ritual.     However  this  may  be,  there 


608  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG. 

is  a  striking  analogy,  both  as  to  structure  and  efect,  between  the 
Diatonic  melody,  and  the  Plain-Chant,  in  its  early  simplicity. 
This  Chant,  we  are  told,  employed  but  four  lines  of  the  staff  in 
the  range  of  its  pitch ;  the  sucesion  of  its  notes  was  by  proximate 
degrees,  in  the  radical  pitch  of  a  second  ;  it  never  set  more  than 
one  note  to  a  sylable ;  and  used  but  two  divisions  of  time,  the  long 
and  the  short.  In.  this  acount,  substitute  the  term  Equable  con- 
Crete  for  that  of  Note,  and  the  resemblance  is  in  many  points  re- 
markable. The  Plain-Chant  is  an  example  of  what  we  have  caled 
the  discrete-song,  and  in  its  use  had  originaly,  and  when  not  dese- 
crated by  'modern  improvements'  of  wider  concrete  and  discrete 
intervals,  and  by  afected  graces j  still  has,  in  its  holy  purpose  of 
worship  and  prayer,  that  deep  and  long-drawn  note  of  solemn 
dignity,  which  is  but  a  transcending  degree  of  the  character,  given 
to  epic  and  dramatic  reading,  and  to  parts  of  the  Church-service, 
by  the  fulnes  and  quantity  of  an  orotund  voice,  in  the  diatonic 
melody.* 

*  We  have  in  the  course  of  this  Work,  pointed  out  similarities  between  the 
principles  of  Music  and  of  Elocution,  and  have  shown  their  very  materials  or 
tunable  constituents,  with  the  exception  of  the  Note,  to  be  comon  to  both. 

The  further  we  look  into  the  Arts,  the  more  closely  we  iind  them  by  their 
principles,  related  to  each  other:  yet  who  will  say,  there  is  a  resemblance 
between  Architecture  and  Speech  ?  To  the  eye  and  ear  of  the  Doorkeeper, 
who  within  the  grandeur  of  the  Capitol,  was  obliged  to  listen  to  Cicero,  there 
could  have  been  none.  But  turn  an  inquiring  and  reflective  mind  to  a  con- 
sideration of  the  causes  that  constitute,  or  create,  a  similarity  between  thenij 
and  observe  how,  in  the  analytic  Perspective  of  a  philosophic  taste,  their 
conditions  aproach  each  other ;  and  with  a  still  extended  view,  how,  by  the 
principles  that  direct  them,  they  mingle  into  one. 

I  have  long  perceved  the  analogy  to  which  I  here  alude ;  but  bcleving  it 
might  pass  for  a  metaphoric  extravagance,  rather  than  an  ilustration,  I  have 
not  till  this  last  moment,  the  date  of  the  fourth  Edition,  dared  to  cull  the  Dia- 
tonic Melody,  the  Doric  order  of  Speech.  In  this  country  at  least,  I  have 
met  with  none,  so  much  interested  in  the  Esthetic  principles  of  these  arts,  as 
to  wish  to  discover,  or  desire  to  be  told  their  points  of  resemblance.  When 
however,  I  think  of  a  Doric  Perii)toral  Temple  with  its  marble-purity, 
brightly  distinct  in  structure  and  outline,  to  the  neighboring  eye,  yet  still 
distinctly  traceable  in  distant  prospectj  with  its  compendious  Design  at  once 
upon  my  memory,  in  clearnes  of  image  second  only  to  reality;  I  see  an  am- 
bitious samencs  in  form  and  liglit,  yet  varied  in  line,  and  shadow,  just  to  show- 
forth  the  striking  elegance  of  its  Unity^  a  Grandour  rising  above  lu'avines, 
till  it  iipears  in  Grace;  and  a  Simplicity,  with  only  such  apropriate  ornaments 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  609 

Second.  Oj  ConcrcieSoiig.  This  melody,  in  its  forms  of  into- 
nation, time,  and  force,  is  varied  from  the  limits  of  the  Mixed 
style,  to  that  intricate  and  afected  composition  of  the  extreme 
Bravuraj  "which  by  turning  words  into  vowels,  destroys  the  mean- 
ing of  language ;  and  by  a  continued  whirling  of  these  vowels, 
confounds  every  feeling  excited  by  the  more  natural  song. 

The  means.of  expresion  in  the  unexagerated  forms  of  this  melody 
include  those  of  the  Discrete  and  the  Mixed  ;  with  the  adition  of 
other  more  elaborate  forms  of  intonation.  The  further  use  of  the 
radical  and  median  force  on  the  rising  and  faling  concrete,  as  well 
as  on  the  wave,  adds  a  briliant  variety  to  its  character.  We  have 
in  the  Bravuras  and  Volatas  of  this  kind  of  song,  all  the  extraor- 
dinary coloring  of  the  compound  stres,  in  the  production  of  the 
shake,  and  of  the  endles  run  of  Divisions  on  their  course  of  stres 
and  intonation.  It  likewise  comands  the  powers  of  the  Tremulous 
scale,  both  on  the  plaintivenes  of  the  semitone,  and  the  laughing 
movement  of  wider  intervals. 

All  the  forms  of  expresion,  both  in  the  Concrete  and  the  Dis- 
crete song,  M'hether  of  the  grave,  the  gay,  or  the  plaintive ;  and 
whether  produced  by  pitch,  time,  vocality,  or  force,  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  independent  of  any  purpose  in  thought  or  meaning: 
for  it  will  be  shown  presently,  that  except  in  some  acidental  or 
habitual  conections,  song  has,  apart  from  the  words  which  may 
acompany  it,  an  ^tnintelectual  expresion  altogether  of  its  own. 

As  song  employs  in  its  composition,  the  expresional  means  of 
speech,  it  might  be  suposed  that  certain  movements  must  have  in 
each  case  an  identiail  efect.  Yet  it  is  not  always  so.  We  have 
learned  that  some  signs,  as  the  semitone,  the  laughing  and  crying 
tremor,  and  long  quantity,  do  rejjresent  the  same  state  of  mind 
in  both :  but  many  forms  of  intonation  lose  their  meaning  and 
force  when  separated  from  words,  and  transfercd  to  song.     On 

as  make  them  harmonious  parts  of  nn  unclividecl  whole.  With  this  picture 
before  me,  it  brings-up  iu  related  efect,  the  liUenes  of  Roscius  again  upon 
the  Stage,  breaiiing  his  silence,  with  the  gravity  and  fulnes  of  the  thotive 
orotund  ;  and  impresing  the  respectful  ear  by  a  simplicity  in  time  and  into- 
nationj  varied  only  to  give  grace  to  its  dignity  ;  and  rising  ocasionalj',  with 
contrasted  interval,  and  force,  to  beautifj'  and  not  to  destroy  the  jilain  and 
impresive  unity  of  diatonic  speech. 


610  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    SOXG. 

the  subject  of  the  vocal  signs  of  thot  and  pasion,  it  was  shownj 
their  purpose  is  not  only  modified  by  conventional  language,  but 
is  sometimes  purely  dependent  upon  it.  This  was  ilustrated  by 
reference  to  the  voices  of  birds :  and  song  afords  a  still  more 
satisfactory  proof.  For  as  its  elaborate  structure  does  employ  all 
those  forms  of  concrete  and  radical  pitch,  and  of  the  wave,  which 
produce  the  expresion  of  speech,  it  Avould  seem,  we  ought  during 
the  varied  course  of  its  melody,  to  be  constantly  recognizing  the 
vocal  signs  of  interogation,  surprise,  positivenes,  sneer,  contempt, 
and  railery ;  whereas  the  florid  song  which  makes  the  freest  use  of 
these  signs,  never  conveys  any  of  these  states  except  when  joined 
to  language  that  describes  them. 

Song,  nevertheles,  without  the  use  of  words,  may  be  powerfully 
expressive ;  and  it  is  so  by  the  use  of  these  very  concretes,  quan- 
tities, waves,  and  swelling  streses,  that  give  the  thotive  and  pas- 
ionative  meaning  to  speech.  The  expresion  of  song  is  produced 
in  a  maner  ^peculiar  to  itself,  and  in  very  few,  if  any  instances 
has  relation  to  the  thot  or  pasion  of  particular  words  or  phrases. 
Persons  who  enjoy  the  melody  of  song  must  percevej  the  feelings 
created  by  it  are  so  indefinitej  they  are  not  able  to  refer  them  to 
any  other  source,  than  that  of  primary  perception,  or  of  subse- 
quent memory ;  nor  to  reduce  the  expresion  to  anything  more  than 
certain  clases  of  efects. 

Upon  this  subject  I  would  ask  two  questions.  Has  song  a  sys- 
tem of  expresion  properly  its  OAvn,  and  does  our  indefinite  percep- 
tion of  its  forms  arise  from  this  system  never  having  been  analyzed 
and  rendered  familiar  and  specific  by  names?  Or  does  the  ex- 
presion of  song  depend  on  some  conection  between  its  vocal  move- 
ments, and  those  of  speech ;  the  former  asuming  the  agreeable 
efect  of  the  latter,  without  their  definite  meaning? 

By  a  comparison  of  the  characteristics  of  speech  and  of  song, 
it  apears  that  song  has  a  system  of  expression  of  its  own,  dis- 
tinct in  most  ])oints  from  that  of  speech.  If  the  Reader  luis  fol- 
owed  me  atentively,  he  nuist  admitj  the  vocjil  expresion  of  the 
latter  is  derived  soley  from  the  concrete  and  discrete  intervals 
of  intonation,  with  the  other  modes  of  the  voice;  and  that  he 
has  at  least  heard  of  the  precepts  for  that  expresion,  if  he  has 
not  the  power  of  acurately  executing  them.     Still  we  here  ofer 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  611 

in  pardonable  repetition,  a  few  remarks  on  the  expresion  of  both 
song  and  speech. 

And  first.  No  thought,  term,  proposition  or  meaning  is  directly 
conveyed  in  song.  By  the  melodial  sucesion  alone  of  its  notes,  it 
excites  a  state  of  mind,  which  we  distinctively  caled  feeling ;  always 
agreeable,  except  under  some  acidental  and  pervertive  circum- 
stances. In  song  we  are  further  pleased  with  the  vocality  of  its 
notes;  in  which  its  prolongation,  is  more  agreeable  than  in  the 
concrete  of  speech.  It  is  a  question  so  inviting  to  dispute,  that 
we  will  not  stop  to  considcrj  whether  these  agreeable  feelings  are 
exclusively  the  direct  result  of  the  simple  vocal  impresion,  or  are  in- 
directly derived  from  memory,  and  in  a  maner,  conected  with  thot. 
These  feelings  produced  by  the  melodial  sucesion  of  notes,  and 
by  their  agreeable  vocality  in  prolongation,  are  therefore  peculiar 
to  song. 

After  the  preceding  view  of  the  distinction  between  speech  and 
song,  we  are  prepared  to  hear,  that  a  sucesion  of  intervals  in  song, 
when  joined  with  the  other  modes  of  vocality,  time,  and  force,  and 
properly  distributed,  is,  by  the  melodial  relations  of  those  intervals, 
marked  by  its  notes,  capable  of  exciting  the  feelings  of  Grandeur, 
Solemnity,  Plaintiveness,  Gayety,  and  Grace.  And  if  to  these  be 
added  a  perception  of  Oddity,  or  what  has  been  called  the  Gro- 
tesk,  they  will  perhaps  include  all  the  clases  of  efects,  that  inde- 
pendently of  any  peculiarities  of  thot  and  of  the  ear,  seem  to 
be  within  the  expresive  powers  of  song.  We  here  exclude  all 
those  notional  and  false  analogies,  between  sound  and  meaning, 
whichj  to  try  something  like  a  transcendental  metaphorj  are  more 
remote  than  far-fetch'd,  if  a  resemblancej  but  infinitely  distant, 
if  at  all  a  paralel ;  such  as  are  found  in  the  music  of  'Alexander's 
Feast,'  '  St.  Cecilia's  Day,'  and  the  '  Ode  on  the  Passions,'  to- 
gether with  not  a  few  in  Haydn's  '  Creation,'  Handel's  '  ISIessiah,' 
and  thruout  that  once  fashionable  and  serious  folly,  the  '  Battle  of 
Prague.'  These  pretensions  and  falsities  hold  the  same  relation 
to  the  real  expresion  of  song,  that  we  shall  endeavor  to  show  the 
pretensions  and  falsities  of  Recitative  do  to  the  truth  of  expresion 
in  speech. 

Second.  The  agreeable  expression  of  song  by  the  mode  of 
Pitch,  consists  in  the  comparison  of  one  note,  Avith  others  of  a 


612  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS    OF   SOXG. 

proximate,  or  of  a  remote  degree;  for  song  by  its  protracted 
notes^  and  by  its  key,  which  definitely  marks  the  places  of  the 
tones,  and  semitones  in  the  scale,  has  in  the  fixed  places  of  its 
notes,  the  means  for  comparing  them  one  with  another,  that  they 
may  be  heard  under  what  has  been  considered,  a  kind  of  harmony 
in  melodial  succession.* 

On  the  effect  of  this  melodial  succession  of  notes  alonej  without 
the  individual  note  itself  exciting  or  conveying  a  thotive  or  pas- 
ionative  state  of  mindj  the  pitch  of  song  altogether  depends  for 
the  means  of  producing  agreeable  Feelings  of  whatever  kind.  But 
the  resource  of  this  melodial  sucesion  of  notes,  speech  does  not 
posses.  Its  efects  are  derived  from  a  power  in  the  individual 
concrete,  and  individual  discrete  interval  to  expres  thot  and  pasion, 
independently  of  a  comparison  with  preceding  or  folowing  con- 
cretes. 

Third.  The  expression  of  concrete,  and  of  discrete  intervals, 
in  the  melody  of  speech,  difers  both  in  character  and  cause,  from 
that  of  the  sucesion  of  the  notes  of  song :  tho  each  is,  in  its  own 
way,  variously  agreeable,  acording  to  the  susceptibility  of  the  car 
and  intelect  of  an  audience.  We  have  said  the  intonation  of 
speech,  derives  its  expresion,  soley  from  the  extent  and  direction 
of  the  single  concrete  and  discrete  interval,  and  the  wave,  asisted 
by  the  other  modes  of  the  voice.  Plaintivenes  is  the  efect  of  the 
single  semitone;  interogation  and  wonder,  of  the  single  wider  up- 
wardj  anger  and  comand,  of  the  single  wider  downward  concrete ; 
dignity,  of  the  wave  of  the  second ;  contempt  and  scorn,  of  the 
wider  single  or  double  waves :  the  expression  being  here  derived 
altogether  from  the  individual  interval  itself,  and  not  from  the 

*  In  the  musical  scale,  the  First,  Third,  Fifth,  and  Octave  notes,  when 
heard  together,  are  said  to  be  concordant:  and  Harmony  to  the  ear,  not  its 
theory,  is  the  perception  of  the  efcct  of  shnulfaneous  concordant  notes. 

Melody  to  the  ear,  regarding  only  the  mode  of  Pitch,  is  the  perception  of 
the  efect  of  certain  relationships  between  sucesive  notes. 

The  efects  of  mu.sic  arise  then,  from  two  conditions  of  its  notes:  one  simul- 
taneous ;  the  other  sucesive.  But  the  individual  notes  which  produce  har- 
mony are  so  impresive,  that  when  heard  in  sucesion,  the  ear  can  compare  the 
instant-pased,  with  the  instant-present  note;  and  thus  perceve  a  harmonious 
relation  between  the  presently  audible  and  the  memorial  note.  This  is  what 
I  call  in  the  text,  harmony  in  melodial  sucesion. 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  G13 

relation  of  one  interval  to  another.  For  tho  a  Fifth,  for  example, 
is  emphatically  perceptible  in  speech,  by  its  contrast  with  a  second, 
in  a  diatonic  melody,  it  is  not  that  contrast  which  gives  the  ex- 
presion ;  as  the  Fifth  is  alike  interogative,  both  in  a  thoro  inter- 
ogative  sentence,  where  it  is  placed  beside  itself j  and  when  it  is 
unrelated  to  any  other  interval,  on  a  neighboring  sylablc.  And 
the  same  may  be  said  of  every  expresive  concrete,  either  solitary 
or  in  series.  The  expresion  of  speech,  again  to  repeat  the  propo- 
sition, is  therefore  derived  from  the  efect  of  the  concrete  and  dis- 
crete intervals  alone :  as  speech  having  no  System  of  Key  to 
direct  its  progresions,  cannot  excite  musical  feeling  by  thq  harmony 
of  melodial  siicesions :  for  the  perpetual  sliding  of  its  concretes, 
afords  no  stationary  point  nor  continvious  level  line,  by  which  a 
concord  with  any  other  point  or  line  might  be  recognized.  The 
wordsj  second,  third,  fifth,  octave,  semitone,  and  wave,  that  in 
song  convey  the  meaning  of  a  melodial  relationshipj  designate  in 
speech,  only  concrete  and  discrete  intervals ;  which  in  themselves , 
denote  thot  and  pasion,  by  their  extent  and  direction,  not  by  any 
harmonic  or  melodial  relations  to  each  other. 

We  have  saidj  the  sucesions  alone,  of  melody  in  song,  with  their 
varieties  in  time,  and  without  embracing  thot  or  meaning,  produce 
its  peculiar  feeling  or  expresion.  Hence  the  permutations  in  the 
order  of  these  notes  for  an  agreeable  sucesion  would  seem  to  be 
inumerable.  But  the  more  agreeable  sucesions j  whether  they  afect 
the  mind  instinctively  by  the  ear,  or  habit,  or  by  conection  with 
feelings  derived  from  other  senses^  might  perhaps  with  their  apro- 
priate  expresion,  be  reduced  to  a  few  melodial  phrases,  and  be 
described  and  named.  As  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  asign  the 
agreeable  efects  of  melody,  to  such  phrases,  the  forms  do  not  seem 
to  be  numerous ;  and  are  realy  so  simple,  and  comparatively  so 
few,  that  they  probably  have  all  been  known  and  used  in  song, 
from  immemorial  time;  yet  their  intermingling  sucesions,  as  it 
has  hapened  Avith  the  long  unknown  and  aparently  confused 
phrases  of  intonation  in  speechj  have  to  this  day,  prevented  their 
being  separately  perceved  and  named. 

Composers  are  often  charged  with  plagiary  of  certain  agreeable 
pasages  of  melody.  But  all  these  pasages,  or  Phrases  of  Expres- 
sion in  song,  as  they  may  be  caled,  have  long  been  familiar  to  the 


614  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS    OF   SOXG. 

ear,  and  enjoyed  by  Feeling ;  and  liave  come  down  to  us  with- 
out known  Authorship  or  Date.  On  the  subject  of  this  combi- 
nation of  notes  into  agreeable  phrases  in  the  melodial  sucesion 
of  song,  there  can  be  no  more  originality,  than  on  that  of  the 
combination  of  the  elements  into  sylables  of  speech ;  which  in 
all  their  permutations,  have  in  time,  and  among  nations,  already 
been  made.  The  mass  of  Composersj  like  the  mass  of  Writers, 
respectively,  again  and  again  borow  and  repeat  the  commonplace 
phrases  of  melody  and  of  thotj  and  only  a  few,  like  Bacon  and 
Shakspeare,  or  Haydn  and  INIozart,  choicely  select  and  combine 
those  striking,  if  not  original  thots,  in  one  case,  and  expresive 
melodial  phrases  in  the  other,  which,  in  their  exalted  acordance 
with  nature  and  truth,  are  so  far  above  being  vulgarized  by  gen- 
eral adoption  and  imitation,  as  to  seem  to  be  always  new,  and 
destined  to  please  forever. 

Under  the  class  of  phrases  of  expresion  in  song,  are  included 
those  groups  of  notes  called  Graces.  And  here,  speech  has  nothing 
directly  corresponding  to  the  Beat,  the  Turn  and  Shake.  Per- 
ha]:)s  however,  there  is  a  remote  analogy,  in  efed,  between  the 
median  stress  of  speech,  and  the  apogiature ;  between  the  Tremolo, 
and  the  prolongation  of  the  tremor  on  one  line  of  pitch ;  between 
the  anticipative  character  of  the  prepared  cadence,  and  the  suspen- 
sion of  the  shake  preceding  a  close  on  the  key-note  of  song.  But 
why  has  song  been  without  a  classification  of  other  phrases,  with 
their  peculiar  and  no  less  striking  expresion,  than  that  of  its 
named  ornamental  Graces  ? 

That  song  has  its  own  peculiar  expression,  in  no  way  connected 
with  thot,  or  meaning  of  any  kind,  is  i)roved  by  a  well-known 
fa(;t  in  lyric  history.  It  has  long  been  the  practice  of  song  writers, 
to  adapt  their  verses  to  the  music  of  existing  airs;  nor,  with  an 
exception  of  the  use  of  the  major  and  the  minor  mode;  of  the 
allegro  and  pcnseroso,  does  tliis  seem  to  have  been  done,  under 
the  asumcd  fitnes  of  certain  melodial  ])hrascs  of  the  Air,  to  the 
thot  or  pasion  of  the  words ;  language  of  every  diferent  meaning 
and  expresion  being  adapted  to  the  same  air,  and  receved  as  satis- 
factory, without  the  least  perception  of  a  want  of  congruity.* 

*  From  imimoniblc  instances  of  tliis  print'i])lo,  we  select  the  folowing.  Tlicre 
is  a  ciilcbrated  En<jlisli  Air  aplicd  to  tlic  drinkiuij  song;  ]\7u'n  liibo  ivciit  down 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SONG.  615 

It  was  formerly  statedj  that  the  fulest  efect  of  speech,  is  pro- 
duced by  a  union  of  the  natural  sign  with  the  conventional. 
Otliers  are  left  to  inquire,  Avhether  a  triple  union  of  the  natural 
and  conventional  sign  of  thot.  and  pasion  in  speech,  witli  the 
peculiar  expresion  of  song,  may  not  give  the  highest  delight  to 
the  mind  and  the  ear. 

I  have  here  furnished  some  desultor}'  observations  and  reflec- 
tions, in  answer  to  the  qiiestions  above  proposed ;  and  have  en- 
deavored to  show  that  song  has  an  expresion  of  its  own :  upon 
the  truth  of  which,  if  the  subject  deserves  it,  others  must  finaly 
decide. 

We  are  now  able  to  comprehend,  wb-y  persons  who  sing  with 
the  greatest  execution,  are,  under  the  present  state  of  vocal  in- 
struction, rarely  or  never  good  readers.  One  cause  may  be  found, 
in  the  diference  of  the  respective  movements;  and  the  frequent 
want  of  a  full  comand  over  the  equable  concrete  in  all  its  varieties 
of  time,  by  singers,  who  rarely  employ  it  except  for  the  short 
quantities  of  the  comic  song.  The  principal  cause  however,  why 
those  distinguished  by  great  vocal  flexibility  in  elaborate  compo- 
sition, are  generaly  very  indiferent  actorsj  is  that  such  intricate 
execution  is  always  made  with  a  sacrifice  of  the  proper  expression 
of  speech.  We  have  learned,  that  the  discrete-melody  of  song 
has  in  its  use  of  certain  modes  and  forms  of  the  voice,  an  aproxi- 
mate  identity  with  the  expresion  of  speech :  and  however  the 
mixed  melody,  by  its  varied  concretes  and  its  radical  skijTS,  may 
have  only  a  remote  resemblance  to  the  efect  of  those  same  con- 

to  the  regions  below.  Bibo  in  orosing  the  Styx,  Ciilcd-ont  In  be  rowed  back, 
for  his  soul  was  thirsty.  Be  quiet,  said  Charon,  you  were  drunk  wlun  you 
died. 

Kow  me  Lack  tlien,  cried  Bibo,  I  knew  not  tb.e  pain, 
And  if  drunk  when  I  died,  let  nic  die  once  again. 

This  is  the  air  selected  for  more  than  one  of  our  Liberty  songs.  The  burden 
of  one  is  the  same  in  measure  and  intonation  withj  'Eow  me  back  then,  cried 
Bibo.' 

The  star-spangled  baner,  0  !  long  may  it  wave 

Oer  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave. 

Thus  the  Bacanal  and  the  Patriot  find  the  melody  equaly  cxpresive;  the 
one  for  his  revels,  the  other  of  his  Glory. 


616  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   SOXG. 

stituents  in  speech,  yet  it  has  a  peculiar  and  delightful  expresion 
of  its  own.  But  the  Bravura-artifice  of  the  throat,  ocupied  only 
witli  variety  and  wonder,  admits  into  its  purposes  neither  the 
dignified  and  graceful  feeling  of  song,  nor  the  thotful  nor  pas- 
ionative  expresion  of  speech.  In  it,  long  and  short  quantities, 
the  radical  explosion  and  the  median  swell,  the  diatonic  sucesion 
and  the  chromatic,  the  plaintive  and  the  laughing  tremor,  the 
various  forms  of  the  wave,  concrete  transitions  and  discrete  skips 
from  the  deepest  bass  to  a  piercing  falsete,  the  compound  stres  in 
all  its  forms  of  shake  and  division,  arc  made  to  play  with  each 
other  in  every  variety  of  permutation.  And  as  the  voice  like  the 
throat  of  the  mocking-bird,  mingles  all  its  posibilities,  without 
regard  to  expresive  design,  the  singer  thereby  confusing  that  in- 
stinctive conection  between  thot  and  pasion,  and  their  vocal  sign, 
which  good  speaking  always  requires^  and  between  feeling  and  a 
certain  sucesion  of  notes,  which  should  also  be  the  means  of  ex- 
presion in  song ;  so  the  habitual  practice  of  the  ambitious  and  un- 
meaning Bravura,  destroys,  in  a  great  degree,  a  perception  of  the 
original  signs  of  feeling  in  song ;  and  by  its  artificial  dificulties 
and  contortions,  destroys  the  comand  over  the  means,  originaly 
ordained  for  the  expresion  both  of  speech  and  of  song.  If  I 
had  the  oportunities  of  European  experience,  I  might  speak  with 
greater  knowledge  and  precision ;  but  far  as  I  have  observedj 
singers  who  excel  in  the  florid  execution,  acquired  by  the  mere 
drill  of  the  Conservatorio,  and  exercised  in  the  rotine  of  the 
Concert- room  or  the  Stage,  are  not  often  gifted  with  that  delicacy 
of  mental  perception  which  sometimes  acompanics  the  organization 
of  a  musical  ear.  For  the  temperament  of  a  singer  can  as  readily 
be  perceved,  in  his  peculiar  management  of  time,  stress,  and  into- 
nation, as  the  thot  and  pasion  of  an  original  and  independent 
writer  can  be  gathered  from  his  style. 

What  is  called  a  musical  ear,  seems  to  depend  on  an  inscrutable 
instinct,  and  the  exercise  of  atentivc  observation  by  this  sense: 
and  tho  our  history  indicates,  that  high  acomplishments  in  elocu- 
tion must  always  be  grounded  on  its  discriminations;  still  the 
training  of  the  ear,  by  those  who  ex(^el  in  the  afected  dificulties  of 
the  Florid  song,  and  the  formal  character  both  of  taste  and  feel- 
ing thereby  rendered  habitual;  nui.st  in  a  great  measure,  destroy 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS    OF    RECITATIVE.  617 

the  conection  between  the  state  of  mind  and  its  vocal  sign,  consti- 
tuting the  proper  expresion  of  speech.  There  have  been  Actors, 
who  under  an  enlightened  system  of  Elocutionary  instruction, 
might  liave  entered  into  the  philosophy  both  of  passion  and 
speech ;  and  who,  by  discipline,  could  have  reached  the  flexibility 
of  florid  execution  in  the  singing  voice.  And  yet  we  have  cause 
to  beleve,  that  had  this  power  over  the  intricacies  of  song,  been 
habitualy  exerted,  particularly  under  the  absorbing  vanity,  so  apt, 
in  this  case,  to  acompany  suces,  it  must  have  destroyed  the  comand 
over  the  equable  concrete,  Avhich  would  have  enabled  them  to  give 
their  consumate  intonation  to  the  language  of  the  tragic  poet. 
We  will  supose,  Mrs.  Siddons,  with  a  nice  perception  of  Time  and 
Tune,  might  perhaps  have  joined-voice  with  the  incomparable 
Mara,  in  the  expresive  songs  of  Handel  or  Mozart,  without  im- 
pairing her  power  over  Shakspeare.  But  she  would  have  been 
lost  forever  to  all  the  influence  of  thot  and  pasion  over  speech,  had 
she  been  trained  with  Catalani,  to  that  extreme  of  vocal  execution 
which  is  said  to  have  outstriped  the  conventional  means  of  nota- 
tion, within  the  wonder-serving  inventions  of  the  comjwsers  of 
the  day. 


OF  RECITATIVE. 

The  term  Recitative  is  aplied  to  the  intonation  of  certain  dra- 
matic and  vocal  compositions.  It  had  its  name  from  being  em- 
ployed for  narative  or  recital,  in  contradistinction  to  the  intonation 
of  song,  which  was  apropriated  to  expres  the  mental  state  of  Feel- 
ing. Recitative  is  however  employed  at  present  in  the  Italian 
Opera,  and  other  compositions,  as  the  suposed  means  of  speaking 
expresion,  as  well  as  for  the  comon  purposes  of  the  dialogue. 

Nothing  has  puzled  musical  logicians  more  than  the  atempt  to 
define  this  term. 

Rousseau,  in  his  dictionary,  speaks  of  it  thus:  'Recitative.  A 
discourse  recited  in  a  musical  and  harmonious  tone.  It  is  a 
method  of  singing  which  aproaches  nearly  to  speech,  a  declama- 
40 


618  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE. 

tion  in  music,  in  which  the  musician  should  imitate  as  much  as 
posible,  the  inflections  of  the  declaiming  (o)'  the  speaking)  voice.' 

Busby  gives  the  folowing  definition :  '  Recitative.  A  species 
of  musical  recitation,  forming  the  medium  between  Air  and  rhe- 
torical Declamation,  and  in  which  the  composer  and  performer, 
rejecting  the  rigorous  rules  of  time,  endeavor  to  imitate  the  inflec- 
tions, acent,  and  emphasis,  of  natural  speech.' 

One  calls  '  Recitative,  a  kind  of  singing  that  difers  but  little 
from  ordinary  pronunciation.' 

Another  says,  'Recitative  is  speech  delivered  thru  the  medium 
of  musical  intonation.' 

And  others,  still  more  general,  describe  it  as,  '  singing  speech,' 
and,  'speaking  song.' 

Before  we  are  taught  what  we  require  in  knowledge,  we  do  not 
perceve  how  little  satisfies  us :  and  altho  we  have  yet  much  to 
learn  on  the  subject  of  the  voice,  we  have  taut  ourselves  enuf,  to 
authorize  the  remark,  that  all  these  definitions,  written  to  instruct, 
contain  no  further  exjjlanation,  than  might  be  given  by  the  hum- 
blest auditor  at  an  Oratorio.  By  the  terms  of  all  these  defini- 
tions. Recitative  is  somehow  made-up  of  speech  and  song.  As  the 
elementary  movements  of  song  had,  in  a  degree,  been  known  and 
described,  the  meaning  of  its  term  might  have  been  inteligible. 
But,  regarding  speech,  on  which  these  definitions  are  in  part  con- 
structed, let  us  hear  Rousseau,  under  the  very  article  -vve  have 
quoted.  '  The  inflections  of  the  speaking  voice  are  not  bounded 
by  musical  intervals.  They  are  uncontroled,  and  imposible  to  be 
determined^ 

A  knowledge  therefore  of  the  construction  of  Recitative,  by  that 
of  its  mingled  or  interwoven  constituents,  song  and  speech,  the 
later  of  which  is  here  declared  to  be  utcrly  inaprcciablej  must 
acording  to  Rousseau  at  least,  require  some  other  powers  of  c!om- 
prehension,  than  we  at  present  posses.  For  having  no  perception 
of  the  characteristics  of  one  of  the  constituents,  our  knowledge  of 
Recitative  seems  to  have  been,  if  I  may  be  alowed  to  jest,  not  un- 
like that  of  our  personal  acquaintance  with  the  heads  of  a  family, 
when  the  father  is  niuried  to  an  inaudible,  intangible  and  invisible 
woman. 

In  general  description,  Speech,  Song,  and  Recitative,  arc  varied 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE.  619 

forms  of  intonation ;  deriving  their  specific  difercnces  from  the 
number,  kind,  and  combination  of  tjieir  respective  vocal  move- 
ments. Having  described  the  melodial  peculiarities  of  Speech,  and 
of  Song,  which  are  the  only  divisions  of  vocal  expresion  founded 
on  instinctive  indications,  let  us  by  the  light  of  our  history,  en- 
deavor to  point  out  the  characteristics  of  the  artificial  intonation 
of  Recitative. 

The  Plainest  style  of  Recitative,  for  its  style  varies,  is  charac- 
terized by  the  folowing  construction. 

First.  It  has  no  systematic  rythmus  or  musical  measure  in  the 
progresion  of  melody. 

Second.  It  never  gives  more  than  one  note  to  a  single  sylable  ; 
song  sometimes  aplying  several  short  notes  over  one. 

Third.  It  employs  the  protracted  radical  and  protracted  vanish 
and  the  wave,  on  long  quantities^  and  ocasionally  the  equable 
concrete  on  short  ones. 

Fourth.  Its  melodial  intervals,  or  the  discrete  movements  of  its 
radical  pitch,  are  of  every  extent,  both  in  upward  and  downward 
transition. 

Fifth.  It  employs  the  means  of  time,  force,  vocality,  abruptnes 
and  intonation. 

These  are  the  simple  constituents  of  Plain  Recitative :  and  the 
folowing  are  some  of  the  principles  of  their  aplication. 

The  melodial  succesion  variously  consists  of  the  monotone,  and 
of  other  phrases,  in  every  interval  of  radical  pitch.  It  makes  no 
systematic  distinction  between  a  diatonic  groundwork,  and  the  con- 
trasted emphasis  of  wider  intervals,  which  gives  efective  power, 
dignity,  and  expresion  to  speech  :  the  sucesions  of  its  pitch  being 
rather  acording  to  the  promiscuous  mingling  of  song.  I  have  Jiot 
recognized,  in  what  is  caled  unaccompanied  recitative,  an  aplica- 
tion of  the  doctrine  of  key ;  its  melodial  relationships  having  in 
this  respect  the  characteristic  of  speech.  The  cadence  or  full 
pause  is  made  by  phrases  of  every  form,  from  the  monotone,  to 
the  rising  and  faling  discrete  octave ;  the  curent  melody  consisting 
of  the  protracted  radical,  or  protracted  vanish,  with  an  ocasional 
rising  and  faling  concrete  and  wave.  All  these  constituents  are  so 
intermingled  and  aranged  by  the  composer,  as  not  only  to  suit 
that  caprice,  he  may  miscal  Expresion,  but  also  to  give  that  order 


620  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF    RECITATIVE. 

to  the  constituentsj  he  may  choose  to  call  Melody.  If  however 
we  cease  to  beleve  upon  authority,  that  Recitative  is  wonderf uly 
expresive,  we  will  then  begin  to  reflect,  how  this  suposed  variety, 
founded  on  wider  intervals  and  waves,  with  a  frequent  recurence 
of  upward  and  downward  skips,  and  with  so  many  mounting  and 
plunging  cadences,  must,  by  its  constant  and  violent  obtrusions,  be 
shockingly  monotonous  to  the  Natural  Science  of  an  ear,  acustomed 
to  a  true  vocal  expresion,  under  the  easy  and  gratifying  variety  of 
cultivated  speech. 

Such  being  the  structure  of  Recitative,  its  expresion  can  have 
but  little  resemblance  to  that  of  the  speaking  voice.  Comparing 
its  plainest  form  above  described,  with  the  intonation  of  speech, 
which  it  pretends  to  borowj  its  only  means  of  expresion  on  indi- 
vidual sylables,  for  its  curent  has  none,  are  included  under  the 
folowing  heads. 

First.  The  expresion  of  slow  and  of  rapid  uterance ;  and  of  long 
and  of  short  quantity. 

Second.  That  of  the  degrees  of  force ;  both  as  to  emphasis  and 
drift. 

Third.  Of  vocality ;  particularly  of  gutural  vibration,  and  the 
ofotund.  • 

Fourth.  Of  intonation  ;  by  the  ocasional  employment  of  the  dis- 
crete rising  fifth  or  octave,  for  inquiry ;  of  the  downward  skip, 
for  positive  or  imperative  declaration  ;  and  of  the  wave  of  the 
semitone  and  the  minor  third,  for  plaintivenes.  But  even  these 
are  so  iregularly  mingled  with  contra-meaning  constituents,  that 
like  the  same  constituents  in  the  throat  of  the  mocking-bird,  tlicy 
lose  much,  if  not  all  their  exprcsive  character.  Nor  are  they 
aplied  according  to  invariable  rule :  for  I  have  heard  true  inter- 
ogative  words,  intonated  with  a  sinq)le  monotone,  or  ditone ;  de- 
clarative questions  with  a  downward  fifth,  or  octave ;  and  forcible 
imperatives,  with  the  widest  ascending  intervals.  This,  with  the 
'Little  Book'  and  pencil  in  hand,  was  noted  at  the  Oj)era. 

Plain  Recitative  at  once  strikes  the  comon  ear  as  very  remark- 
able, and  so  distinct  from  speech  and  song,  that  its  structure,  and 
its  characterj  for  it  can  scarcely  be  regarded  Jis  exprcsive  to  a 
natural  earj  must  wiien  compared  with  the  structure  and  ex})resion 
of  speech  and  of  song,  give  a  definite  perception  of  these  three 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE.  G21 

vocal  functions,  and  enable  us  to  point-out  what  is  peculiar  to 
each.  AVc  pcrceve,  that  one  cannot  asume  the  character  of  another, 
without  droping  its  own  character,  and  becoming  altogether  that 
other :  and  that  definitions  Avhich  set-^brth  Recitative,  as  a  musi- 
cal intonation  of  speech,  or  an  engrafting  of  the  inflections  of 
speech  on  song,  or  of  song  on  speech,  are  without  either  clearnes 
or  truth.  We  can  further  perceve,  that  as  speech  never  employs 
the  protracted  notes,  but  always  the  equable  concrete,  or  its  modi- 
fications, it  does  not,  under  this  broad  distinction,  partake  in  efect, 
of  the  character  of  song  or  of  recitative ;  and  both  these,  using 
the  protracted  notes,  are  more  nearly  related ;  and  with  slight 
change  do  mutualy  pass  into  each  other.  And  so  it  hapens,  that 
the  singer  often  gradualy  j^ases  from  the  above  described  Plain 
Recitative,  to  the  florid  execution,  by  freely  introducing  all  the 
intonations  of  song.  Hence  instead,  of  this  plain  construction 
with  its  few  constituents,  he  introduces  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
the  risiiig  and  the  faling  concrete  in  all  their  forms;  tremors, 
notes,  waves,  and  even  divisions  and  shakes :  in  short,  while  aply- 
ing  these  constituents,  under  a  bared  and  rythmic  time,  he  does, 
in  efect,  produce  the  full  characteristic  of  song  itself. 

Of  these  three  forms  of  intonation,  it  apears,  that  Speech  and 
Song,  both  by  construction  and  efect,  are  most  unlike  each  other; 
that  even  the  plainest  Recitative,  by  construction  more  nearly  re- 
sembles song,  and  in  its  execution  by  vocalists,  most  readily  runs 
into  it ;  that  Speech  has  the  most  extended  and  delicate  powers 
of  expresing  thot  and  pasion ;  by  the  union  of  a  conventional 
language  with  an  instinctive  intonation,  and  a  perfect  adaptation 
of  one  to  the  other ;  that  Song,  by  the  sucesion  of  its  notes,  and 
concrete  intervals,  and  other  forms  of  intonation,  together  with 
vocality,  quantity,  and  force,  has,  exclusively  of  words,  its  own 
peculiar  maner  of  exciting  feelings  of  grandeur,  pathos,  gayety, 
and  grace;  and  that  Recitative,  which,  by  one  of  the  not  unfre- 
quent  delusions  of  perception,  was  originaly  introduced,  and  has 
since  been  continued  for  centuries,  as  embracing  within  itself  the 
characteristic  expresion  of  both  speech  and  song,  docs,  by  this 
vain  efort  to  join  two  incompatible  functions,  realy  destroy  the 
peculiar  and  delightful  character  of  each. 

Composers  may  among  theuLselves  have  framed  rules  for  a  con- 


622  A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS    OF    RECITATIVE. 

ventional  meaning  in  Reeitative,  to  which  being  long  acustomcd, 
they  may  have  come  at  last  to  beleve  them  to  be  the  rules  of 
instinctive  expresion.  If  those,  not  under  the  influence  of  habit, 
do  sometimes  listen  witli  pleasure  to  Recitative,  or  say  they  doj  is 
it  not  from  this  vocal  Odity  having  been  invented,  or  revived  in 
modern  Italyj  Italy  has,  thereupon,  asumed  to  give  law  to  the 
musical  world ;  or  from  its  being  expected  at  the  Opera  ;  or  care- 
lessly heard,  in  anticipation  of  the  suceding  Air  ?  Such  influences 
too  often  pervert  our  perception,  and  reconcile  us  to  a  vitiated 
taste.  Besides,  it  is  as  far,  in  the  present  state  of  the  human 
mind,  from  being  true,  in  Art,  as  it  is  in  Governmentj  that  an 
alowed  dictatorial  authority,  except  in  the  saving-energy  of  a  des- 
perate case,  is  a  protection  against  eror  and  coruption.  The  Archi- 
tecture of  Italy,  with  a  sort  of  prescriptive  right  to  direct  the 
world,  has  in  most  of  its  departments,  from  the  old  Roman,  down- 
ward, done  as  much  violence  to  the  principles  of  unity,  grandeur, 
simplicity,  order,  and  cautious  variety j  as  the  false  pretensions  of 
Recitative  have  done  to  the  true  and  beautiful  system  of  vocal 
expresion  both  in  speech  and  song. 

After  Recitative,  by  some  capricious  straining  after  novelty, 
was  introduced,  it  became  an  object  with  the  reflective  part  of  its 
votaries,  as  well  it  might,  to  find  some  ground  to  justify  its  use. 
With  this  view,  it  was  by  a  strange  conceit,  clased  among  the 
Imitative  arts ;  and  its  peculiar  intonation  was  su posed  to  be  a 
refined  copy  of  comon  speech,  raised  to  the  '  Beau  Ideal '  of  vocal 
expresion. 

The  folowing  free  translation  of  an  extract  from  an  article  by 
Marmontel,  in  the  French  Encyclopedia  of  Diderot,  under  the 
word  Recitative,  describes  this  '  theory.'  '  When  the  Italians  pro- 
posed to  give  a  melody  to  theatric  declamation,  the  purpose  in 
joining  music  with  it,  like  the  purpose  of  exalting  prose  into 
poetry,  was  to  erabelish  Nature  in  imitiiting  licr.  In  other  words, 
to  give  to  declamation  a  character  more  agreeable  to  the  ear,  and 
if  posible,  more  exciting  to  the  feelings  than  tliat  of  natural  speo<'h ; 
without  however,  altering  too  far,  the  form  of  the  Archetyj>e ;  but 
so  ordering  the  refined  imitation,  as  not  to  obscure  the  purjmse  and 
means  of  the  original.'  And  agaiuj  'If  then  it  is  true,  that  song, 
like  verse  in  relation  to  prose,  does  embelish  speech  in  imitating  it, 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   RECITATIVE.  623 

thereby  throwing  an  elegant  ilusion  over  its  character,  we  should 
not  reject  this  aditional  pleasure  of  taste ;  and  whoever  is  endowed 
with  a  delicate  ear,  will  not  complain,  on  hearing  speech  delivered 
in  a  singing  voice.' 

We  are  sorry  to  differ  from  M.  Marmontel :  and  tho  we  may 
not  have  that  delicate  ear,  and  therefore  may  have  no  right  to 
complain,  yet  with  a  taste  acquired  in  the  school  of  Nature,  we 
cannot  aprove.  And  here,  notwithstanding  an  early  resolution, 
only  to  observe  and  record,  to  which  however  I  have  not  been 
able  always  to  adherej  I  feel  myself  compeled  to  ofer  a  transient 
argument,  in  disenting  from  the  unfounded  notions  on  this 
subject. 

The  theory  of  Imitation  asumed  comon  conversation,  which  it 
caled  the  'natural  toncj'  to  be  the  archetype  or  patern.  The 
more  deliberate  and  impresive  style  of  the  theater,  and  of  public 
oratory,  was  caled  Declamation ;  and  was  the  First  remove  in  '  im- 
itation '  from  the  '  natural  tone.'  This  declamation,  when  Chanted 
by  the  voice  alone,  or  with  the  instrumental  company  of  something 
like  a  varied  drone-bass,  was  caled  Plain  Recitative ;  and  its  fur- 
ther remove  from  comon  speech,  and  aproach  towards  song,  was 
the  Second  degree  of  imitation.  Recitative  acompanied  by  instru- 
ments, in  a  barred  and  rythmic  harmony,  formed  the  Third  de- 
gree of  imitation j  a  still  further  remove  from  the  '  natural  tone,'  or 
comon  speech :  and  Song,  or  what  is  called  Air,  was  suposed  to 
have  the  least  resemblance  to  it. 

By  the  light  of  our  history,  the  Reader  may  perhaps  perceve  the 
falacy  of  this  asumption.  Language  is  a  sign  of  the  mind,  not  a 
copy  of  it.  Comon  speech  then,  is  the  sign  of  thot  and  pasion,  and 
in  no  meaning  of  the  term,  an  imitation  of  them.  Declamation 
is  speech  itself,  in  a  more  impresive  use  of  its  constituents.  Plain 
recitative  employs  some  intonations,  not  used  in  speech,  and  makes  a 
false  or  garbled  aplication  of  those  that  arcj  and  consequently  is  no 
imitation.  Acompanied  recitativ^c  has  still  greater  difcrences  from 
speech  than  the  Plainj  tho  of  similar  character  and  efect.  Air,  or 
Song  having  its  own  })eculiar  use  of  notes  and  intervals,  with  its 
own  peculiar  expresion,  can  have  no  resemblance  whatever  to 
speech  ;  and  cannot  therefore  be  an  imitation  of  it.  Thus  we 
learn  that  comon  speech  is  an  original  function,  planed  for  itself 


624  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   RECITATIVE. 

alone ;  and  to  speak  figuratively,  only  copied,  if  at  all,  from  Na- 
ture's secret  patern  of  its  purpose :  nor  has  Nature  herself  ever 
copied  anything  from  it.  But  conceitful  man,  in  trying  to  beau- 
tify, by  imitating  her  as  he  suposedj  at  last  blundered  into  Recita- 
tive ;  the  true  or  contorted  archetype  of  which  is  not  to  be  found 
in  the  natural  voice  of  all  this  peopled  earth.  And  if  drawn  by 
Plato's  First  Philosophy  from  the  skiesj  when,  in  the  Sacred  name 
of  Urania,  has  any  metaphysical  audience  of  the  heavenly  choir, 
ever  reported  an  example  of  its  vocal  odity  and  monotonous 
afectation  ! 

Another  opinion,  asumed  to  justify  the  use  of  Recitative,  wasj 
that  as  speech  is  so  widely  diferent  from  song,  in  its  efccts  upon 
the  ear ;  and  as  the  more  acute  and  forcible  sound,  and  stronger 
contrast  of  intonation,  in  song,  together  with  the  peculiar  and  dif- 
erent kind  of  expresion,  are  much  more  striking  than  the  '  natural 
tonej'  it  was  suposed,  there  should  be  some  intermediate  function, 
partaking  of  the  character  of  each,  to  unite  their  sucesion,  with 
less  violence  to  the  ear.  The  instances  of  things,  both  in  nature 
and  art,  in  favor  of  this  medium  of  gradiial  transition,  are  not 
more  numerous  than  the  instances  of  abrupt  changes  that  opose  it ; 
and  as  no  argument  can  therefore  be  drawn  from  this  source,  we 
must  consider  the  case  in  itself. 

On  the  ground  then  of  our  history  of  the  voice,  we  cannot  ad- 
mit, there  is  the  least  plea  in  good  taste,  or  the  demands  of  the  ear, 
for  this  interposition  of  Recitative.  How  does  the  princijile  aply 
to  that  universal  function  of  Speech,  the  Equable  Concrete,  when 
a  gradual  vanish  leads  us  ovi  of  the  full  and  abrupt  opening  of  the 
radical,  and  not  gradualy  from  silence,  into  itf  Do  the  fii'st  notes 
of  song,  in  a  favorite  melody,  ever  require  more  than  their  own 
delightful  impresion,  to  introduce  them  from  silence  or  from 
speech  ?  Who,  in  the  Church-service,  calls  ibr  a  motly  mjdway 
of  intonation,  in  pasing  from  prayer  and  benediction,  to  the  chant 
and  the  anthem?  And  what,  in  the  decent  {)ride  of  consistency, 
becomes  of  this  principle  of  gradual  transition,  when  the  voice 
pases  abruptly  from  silence  to  the  striking  peculiarity  of  this  very 
Recitative  ;  and  again,  when  in  an  unknown  language,  it  j)ases 
from  this  giberish,  both  of  words  and  expresion,  to  the  deafening 
jargon  of  melody,  harmony,  and  articulation,  in  the  over-strained 


A   BEIEF  ANALYSIS   OF   RECITATIVE.  625 

voices  and  instruments  of  a  full  Operatic  chorus  ?  *  The  design 
of  this  notion  of  mediation,  to  prevent  the  violent  contrast  between 
speech  and  song,  has  rendered  the  whole  course  of  the  Operaj 
when  not  releved  by  the  ocasional  variety  of  the  delightful  Aria, 
and  by  pasages  of  exquisite  orchestral  harmony^  a  continued  mo- 
notony, to  him  whose  ear  has  not  been  contorted  by  fashion,  and 
who  admits  our  view  of  the  principles  of  Drift ;  for  these  show 
that  in  speech,  the  ear  is  guarded  against  the  false  and  too  frequent 
use  of  wide  and  expresive  inters'^als,  by  such  a  use  being  always 
monotonous  and  ofensive.  Nature  has  no  unnecesary  chasms  in 
her  designs^  tho  the  works  of  man  are  full  of  them.  When  there- 
fore he  comes  to  study  her  purpose  in  the  voice,  he  will  find  no 
gap  between  speech  and  song,  to  be  pased  by  the  Ponticello',  no, 
the  Ponte-roUo  of  Recitative,  f 

*  We  had  lately  an  instance  in  one  of  our  Cities,  of  what  an  Italian  Opera 
can  play-off  upon  the  ignorance  or  inatention  of  an  audience^  by  the  first  and 
second  Tenor,  and  Bass,  severaly  singing  and  reciting  their  parts  in  Italian, 
German,  and  French.  The  next  day  the  amateurs  and  critics  were  very  in- 
dignant, at  the  Troupe-leader's  impudence.  Strange  complaint!  when  to  an 
English  ear,  the  whole  in  '  choice  Italian,'  is  impudent  enough,  without  ading 
two  other  jargons,  that  nobody  was  atentive  enough  to  perceve. 

f  In  refering  above,  to  the  undistinguishable  words  and  expresion  of  Reci- 
tativcf  in  a  foreign  language  ;  and  to  the  deafening  vowels  of  an  Opera-Chorus, 
I  do  not  so  particularly  alude  to  the  Italian  language,  as  to  that  uninteligible 
plain-English,  which  seems  to  be  the  comon  mother-tongue  of  so  many  of  its 
singers.  I  lately  heard  in  translation,  the  Oratorio  of  '  Joseph  and  his  Breth- 
ren ;'  and  in  Solo,  Duett,  and  Chorusj  Soprano,  Tenor,  and  Bass,  I  did  not 
recognize,  with  the  exception  of  now  and  then  an  interjection,  twenty  words, 
so  distinctly,  as  to  know  what  they  were.  They  had  beter  have  been  in  Japa- 
nese, for  there  would  then  have  been  no  vexatious  longing  for  what  they 
pretended  to  be,  and  no  endeavor  to  translate  them.  As  to  that  clashing  of 
vocality,  and  discord  in  intonation,  the  necesary  vocal  vices  of  a  vociferating 
crowd;}  '  Quousque  tandem  abutere,  Coryphaeus,  patientia  nostra  ?  '  When  will 
the  Mob-like  Chorus  of  the  Opera  cease  its  confounding  uproar?  For  while 
each  and  all,  in  musical  strife,  are  straining  both  voice  and  instrument  into 
one  time-beaten  noise;}  who  has  ever  heard  a  smoothly  moderated  note,  or  an 
articulated  word  from  any  one  of  them  ?  This  is  not  the  choice  of  uncorupted 
nature  in  the  human  ear.  It  belongs  to  the  whooping  savage  of  an  early  age. 
In  our  own  time,  it  comes  from  the  Composer  and  the  Audience  reciprocaly 
vitiating  each  other's  taste.  And  it  only  adds  another  to  the  unumbercd  in- 
consistencies of  the  mind  and  the  senses,  when  in  Christian  Countries,  after 
weekly  returns,  in  our  Churches,  of  delight  at  the  impresive  grandeur  and 
grace  of  the  subdued  harmony  of  the  Choir  ;  and  after  once  hearing  the  refined 
41 


626  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE. 

From  the  violence  ofered  by  Recitative,  to  our  vocal-liabits,  St. 
Evremond  long  ago  formaly  questioned  its  claims  to  the  merits  of 
propriety,  and  taste.  This  is  a  very  strong  motive  ;  for  surely,  no 
one  ever  did  recognize  or  enter-into  the  expresion  of  this  extraor- 
dinary intonation,  if  he  had  not  by  the  authority,  or  the  daily 
practice  of  the  Conservatorio,  been  driled  out  of  the  instinct  of 
a  natural  ear,  into  a  forced  belief  that  it  is  the  only  Artistic 
style  for  displaying  the  elevated  character  of  dramatic  expresion. 
But  this  argument,  like  that  against  many  other  things  at  first  very 
shocking,  may  be  refuted  by  custom  and  time.  Our  objection  is 
drawn  from  another  source.  It  has  been  shown,  that  speech  being 
founded  on  a  universal  and  identical  meaning  and  practice  among 
mankind,  has  a  system  of  verbal  and  vocal  means,  for  represent- 
ing the  states  of  mind,  often  perverted  and  corupted,  but  never 
overruled  and  changed  to  a  diferent  system;  that  song,  like  in- 
strumental music,  has  forms  of  intonation  altogether  its  own,  for 
the  expresion  only  of  v/hat  we  caled  Feeling,  and  totaly  inde- 
pendent of  verbal  signs.  From  a  close  observation  of  these  dis- 
tinctions, and  a  studious  search  after  any  mode  of  the  vocal  signs, 
which  for  human  purposes,  might  be  adraisible,  we  have  insisted, 
that  besides  these  two  functions,  speech  and  song,  the  voice  has 
no  other  universal  means  of  expresion ;  that  from  their  separate 

solemnity  of  the  Choral  Praj^er  in  Masaniello,  we  can  bear  to  be  deafened  by 
the  brazen-racket  of  a  certain  red-headed  scene  in  Norma,  as  '  got  up  '  in  our 
Country. 

It  may  be  said,  '  there  is  a  style  apropriate  to  the  Church.'  And  so,  it  is 
equaly  -proper,  that  in  every  place  music,  in  its  parts,  should  be  distinctly 
heard ;  its  expresion  unconfusedly  felt ;  and  the  drum  of  the  ear  not  to  be  torn 
by  its  unmerciful  violence.  But  further,  the  critic  tells  us,  this  scene  in 
Norma  presents  the  true  vocal  and  military  costume,  and  'carroty-locks,'  of 
the  time  and  place  in  which  the  action  is  laid.  Be  it  so.  Arc  we  therefore 
in  any  way,  to  sacrifice  taste  to  an  outlandish  costume  in  sight,  or  scent,  or 
sound?  And  because  some  shouting  Celts,  like  beings  of  a  Hoter  clime, 
'clashed  on  their  sounding  shields  the  din  of  war,'  and  are  alowcd,  'highly 
to  rage,  and  hurl  defiance  '  against  civilized  ears,  upon  a  modern  Stage ;  how 
could  we  blame  an  Author  who,  in  search  of  novelty,  should  locate  his  Opera 
among  a  Horde  of  Tartars,  and  who,  with  reference  to  the  dramatic  costume, 
and  to  the  truth  of  his  storj',  should  bring  his  Soprano,  Tenoro  and  Bns.<o 
asolutoj  the  Header  alowing  the  homely  similitude  and  phrasej  to  'wet  their 
whistles'  for  a  Trio,  over  a  steaming  caldron  of  the  usual  daintiest  flesh  of 
Iheir  country  ! 


A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE.  627 

characters,  their  uses  are  not  compatible  with  each  other  or  inter- 
changeable; and  that  any  atempt  to  institute  other  signs,  for  a  just 
expresion  of  thot  and  pasion  in  one  case,  and  of  feeling,  in  the 
other,  is  like  an  endeavor  to  create  anew  the  voice  and  mind  of 
man.  Our  preceding  objections  are  not  in  any  degree  drawn  from 
a  contest  of  our  own  personal  with  a  prevailing  conventional  taste; 
nor  entirely,  from  the  debatable  ground,  of  the  violence  ofered  at 
first  to  the  unacustomed  ear :  for  we  have  endeavored  to  found 
them  upon  a  survey  of  the  respective  means  and  purposes  of 
speech  and  song ;  and  thereby  to  show,  that  the  modern  invention 
of  Recitative,  which  as  a  'refined  copy  of  theatric  declamation,' 
was  designed  to  efect  a  more  exalted  expresion,  by  engrafting  song 
on  speech,  is,  by  the  light  of  analysis,  and  the  test  of  an  unen- 
slaved  earj  after  all,  but  a  fiction,  and  therefore  by  the  doom  of 
all  fictional  pretension,  ought  to  be  a  failure. 

This  conclusion  will  certainly  be  considered  by  the  Masters  of 
music,  and  their  world  of  folowers,  as  highly  audacious :  but  it 
has  been  thot  upon,  much  longer  with  reference  to  truth,  than  to 
opinion ;  and  we  apeal  from  prescriptive  prejudice,  and  the  in- 
flexibility of  the  musical  mind,  to  a  liberal  and  a  docile  inteleducd- 
ear,  instructed  by  the  history  of  an  inflexible  ordination  in  the 
uses  of  the  human  voice.  But  notwithstanding  all  our  objections, 
Recitative  will  still  continue  to  be  a  fashionable  and  therefqre  self 
suficient  delight  of  the  Opera;  just  as  the  artificial  taste  for  Alco- 
hol and  its  asociate,  that  Nauseous  Weed,  will,  among  craving 
and  restles  wanderers  in  percejition,  regardles  of  the  warning  and 
the  penalty  of  disease  and  death,  continue  to  suply  the  place  of 
self-contented  purposes,  in  productive  ocupation,  and  in  educated 
thot. 

We  owe  the  modern  creation,  or  suposed  revival  of  Recitative, 
in  part,  to  the  fatal  influence  of  that  vampire  of  Classic  authority, 
which,  Mdiile  faning  us  into  a  learned  and  vain-glorious  stupefac- 
tion, has  for  ages,  on  more  subjects  than  one,  been  drawing  out 
the  life-blood  of  our  intelectual  independence.  The  ignorance  of 
both  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans,  upon  the  subject  of  the  voice, 
obliged  them  to  describe  tlicir  limited  perceptions,  by  loose  ex- 
planation and  indefinite  metaphor ;  and  we  have  been  contented, 
in  this  as  in  some  other  of  their  arts,  to  take  a  record  of  the 


628  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE. 

poverty  of  their  knowledge,  as  the  historic  scraps  of  a  system, 
regarded  by  the  ra(xlern  scholar,  if  it  was  not  by  themselves,  as 
little  short  of  perfection.  The  learned  world  has  teazed  itself 
into  despair,  by  atcmpts  to  discover,  wherein  consisted  the  inimi- 
table charm  of  Greek  poetical  recitation ;  thereby  to  ilustrate  the 
expresive  means  of  that  '  melodious  language,'  which  when  writers 
on  the  human  voice  shall  broadly  observe  and  reflect  on  their  sub- 
ject, they  will  admit  to  be  very  little  more  melodious,  or  as  they 
will  then  mean,  more  rythmic  than  their  own.  'Among  the  Greeks,' 
says  Rousseau j  and  his  clasical  scholarship  and  musical-philosophy 
may  well  represent  the  rest  in  this  matterj  'among  the  Greeks, 
all  their  poetry  was  in  recikitive.'  And  againj  '  The  Greeks  could 
sing  in  speaking,  but  among  us,  we  must  either  sing  or  speak ;  we 
cannot  do  both  at  the  same  time.'  With  such  a  miraculous  physi- 
ology, no  wonder,  there  should  have  been  modern  altars  to  this 
still  'Unknown  God'  of  the  power  and  perfection  of  ancient 
speech :  nor  that  Pulci  the  poet,  in  reciting  his  Morgante  3Iag- 
giore,  as  we  are  told,  at  the  table  of  Lorenzo  de  Medici,  should 
have  suposed  himself  to  be  the  hapy  agent  of  a  needed  revela- 
tion, of  the  method  of  Grecian  dramatic-recitative,  or  of  Homer's 
declamatory  song. 

If  there  is  any  truth  and  consistency  in  nature j  the  human 
voice  in  its  mechanism,  its  principles,  and  its  uses  for  thot,  and 
pasion,  and  for  the  Feeling  of  song,  has  been  the  same,  wherever 
these  states  of  mind  have  been  the  same.  And  as  the  earliest 
writings,  and  other  records  of  the  earliest  nations,  represent  like 
characters  of  mind,  to  those  existing  at  the  present  day,  we  nuist 
concludej  if  the  Greeks  did  not  use  tlieir  voices,  acording  to  the 
laws  of  nature,  as  we  acknowledge  and  fulfil  themj  they  must  by 
our  decision  at  least,  have  used  them  improperly ;  and  have  de- 
feated the  intention  of  those  laws.  AVhcn  therefore,  in  the  con- 
temptuous language  of  clasical  scholarship,  we  are  told,  we  cannot 
speak  and  sing  at  the  same  timej  we,  scholars  of  Nature  and 
inquiry,  miist  say,  the  Greeks  could  not  speak  and  sing  at  the 
same  time. 

Notwithstanding  a  universal  confidence  in  the  taste  of  the  Greeks, 
we  cannot  beleve,  they  were  free  from  gross  and  universal  faults, 
in  their  Art  of  speech,  on  which  they  liave  left  us  neither  method 


A    BRIEF    ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE.  629 

nor  rule :  well  knowing  how  they  violated  their  own  established 
principles,  in  some  of  their  boasted,  and  recorded  arts. 

The  selfish  and  tasteles  schemes  of  the  Statesman,  the  unosten- 
tatious authoritj^,  and  equal  selfishnes  of  the  Priesthood,  and  the 
inflexible  formality  of  a  Ceremonial  worship,  may,  in  the  Vocal- 
Ritual,  as  well  as  in  Temple- Architecture,  and  in  Sculpture,  have 
continued  the  enormities  of  some  ruder  age,  or  courted  a  time- 
serving variety  in  the  fashion  of  newer  faults ;  all  in  flagrant,  and 
therefore  thotles  inconsistency  with  their  methodic  principles  of 
Fitness,  Unity,  Grandeur,  Harmon}^,  Proportion,  and  Grace.  In 
proof,  let  us  learn  how  this  fitnes,  and  unity,  and  grandeur  were 
mared,  even  by  the  renowned  Phidias,  in  his  renowned  Minerva, 
by  asigning  her  a  labor  of  strength,  not  of  wisdom,  in  balancing 
a  victory  on  her  palm ;  with  a  sculptured  form  made  up  of  ivory 
and  gold,  surounded  by  an  enriched  and  costly  farago  of  acessory 
decoration,  all  suitable  perhaps  to  the  '  pomp  and  vanity '  of  the 
Priest,  and  to  the  ignorant  wonder  of  the  Devotee ;  but  to  the 
eye  of  an  uncontroled  Grecian  Artist,  presenting  in  material,  or 
color,  or  acesory,  or  formj  no  unitizing  relations,  either  of  har- 
mony or  contrast.  Let  us  learn  too,  how  fitnes  and  propriety  were 
outraged  by  percliing  a  statue  aloft,  on  each  angle  of  a  Doric 
pediment ;  and  by  striping  the  imaculate  whitenes  of  an  external 
entablature  with  some  gaudy  and  dis-gracing  paint.  In  further 
and  still  existing  proof,  let  us  go  ourselves  to  the  celebrated  Erec- 
theum,  on  that  al- observed  Athenian  Acropolis;  and  bearing  in 
raiiid  the  unity,  simplicity,  order,  proportion,  and  symmetry,  which 
in  a  Peripteral  Temple,  impr&sed  themselves,  all  at  once,  on  the 
eye  of  the  beholder^  we  must  perceve  those  principles  neglected 
in  this  unbalanced  plan,  as  if  unknown  or  forgoten  ;  a  plan  and 
superstructure  confusing  even  to  us,  but  to  the  reflective  eye  of  a 
Grecian  Artist,  unbiased  by  the  obligation  of  Conformity  to  the 
priesthood  or  the  people,  presenting  only  the  distraction  of  unde- 
termined entrances,  with  itnrespective  symmetry  of  fronts,  and 
flanks;  of  unequal  and  awkward  elevations  on  a  hill-side;  and  of 
excrescences,  vainly  claiming  by  some  trifling  merits  in  detail,  to 
be  uniting  and  co-expresive  parts  of  a  self-discordant  whole.  But 
we  have  not  yet  done  with  this  ungrecian  Ercctheum.  Its  Cary- 
atid-portico, if  designed  as  an  emblem  of  Grecian  enmity,  has  by 


630  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF    RECITATIVE, 

that  enmity,  betrayed  a  lapse  of  excelence  in  Grecian  taste.  We 
still  see  in  columns  changed  to  Caryan  women,  with  the  conceit  of 
reeded  draperies,  how  these  '  Arts  of  Taste  that  civilize  mankind,' 
while  leading  on  to  the  grotesk,  forgot  their  rules  not  only  of  unity, 
fitness,  order  and  propriety,  but  of  humanity  itselfj  in  recording 
an  ungenerous  and  degrading  vengeance  to  the  memory  of  a  falen 
foe. 

If  we  then  weigh  the  ail-but  faultles  merits  of  Grecian  taste,  in 
its  own  balance,  we  may,  from  some  overpoise  of  prejudice,  or  au- 
thority, sometimes  find  it  wanting.  On  the  subject  of  the  voice, 
the  Greeks  having  no  oratorical  physiology  as  we  may  call  it,  could 
have  had  no  well-founded  or  influential  rules.  AVe  are  free  there- 
fore to  supose  groser  violations  of  taste  in  the  practice  of  their 
Speech,  than  we  find  in  the  choice  productions  of  some  of  their 
Arts,  which  Ave  know  to  have  been  generaly  directed  by  princi- 
ples deep-founded  and  exact.  If  the  history  of  the  voice,  con- 
tained in  this  work,  authorizes  the  conclusion,  we  may  rest  in  a 
belief,  that  could  we  have  a  dreaming  revelation  of  the  maner 
of  their  hierophants,  orators,  players,  sophists,  street-criers,  and 
school-boys,  we  would  awake  to  record  a  chapter  of  criticism,  very 
much  like  our  fiftieth  section,  on  the  Faults  of  Readers  in  the 
nineteenth  century. 

The  style  of  that  vocal  perfection  which  the  Roman  eulogist, 
by  the  privilege  of  his  poetry,  figuratively  ascribes  to  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Muse,  may,  in  the  chant  of  the  Odeum,  the  declama- 
tions of  tlie  Theater,  and  the  recitation  of  the  Olympic  Games, 
have  been  with  the  Greeks,  a  greater  departure  from  the  rule  of 
nature,  than  they  sometimes  exhibited,  in  a  departure  from  their 
high  and  all-sufficient  principle  of  unity  in  Material,  by  the  dis- 
cordant asemblagc  of  gold,  and  ebony,  marble,  ivory  and  wood  in 
their  most  celebrated  statues :  or  in  the  violation  of  their  own 
eternal  rules  of  simplicity,  grandeur,  unity,  decorum,  and  grace, 
exhibited  in  the  Erectheunij  placed,  as  it  would  seem,  to  make  its 
faults  more  glaringj  ])laced  in  'audacious  neighborhood,'  beside 
the  all-surpasing  Parthenon. 

I  return  from  this  digresion,  to  remark,  that  ignin'ant  as  we  are 
of  the  real  vocal  practice  of  the  Greeks,  the  Reader  who  has  aten- 
tively  considered  and  who  comprehends  the  descriptions  in  this 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   RECITATIVE.  631 

esay,  will  be  satisfied  to  conjecture  for  himself,  what  they  did  if  it 
was  wrong;  and  to  decide  what  it  was,  if  they  knew,  and  did 
what  is  right. 

If  then  Signer  Pulci  did  delight  the  adulated  and  munificent 
Lorenzo,  by  the  recovery  of  some  lost  conventicle  or  canting  tune, 
in  vogue  with  the  ancient  Altar  and  the  Stage j  it  might  alow  the 
conjecture,  that  some  Recitative-coruption  of  speech  had  come 
dow^n  by  tradition  from  Homer,  or  Tyrteus,  or  was  in  later  days, 
by  some  capricious  influence,  imposed  upon  the  servile  ear :  just 
as  many  of  the  laws  of  musical  expresion  are  in  this  generation, 
overborne  with  like  distortion,  by  the  inveterate  dogmas  of  the 
composer,  the  masked  tyranny  of  fashion,  and  the  consenting 
slavery  of  mankind.* 

*  At  an  early  stage  of  these  inquiries,  I  colected  a  few  materials  on  the 
subject  of  Greek  Acent:  and  then  contemplated  subjoining  to  this  esay,  some 
remarks  upon  it.  But  perhaps  the  obscurity,  inconsistencies,  and  meager 
philosophy  of  this  woried  topic  of  clasical  heresy  and  faith,  are  now  sufi- 
ciently  aparent,  by  the  light  of  our  preceding  analysis.  The  self-delusions 
of  national,  like  those  of  personal  vanity,  are  peculiar  to  no  age  or  people: 
and  one  can  see  about  him  every  day,  enuf  of  the  boast  of  empires,  and  of 
men,  to  make  him  scrutinize  the  rolls  of  fame,  blazoned  by  the  same  genus 
of  vain-glory  and  of  credulity,  two  thousand  years  ago. 

We  know  all  the  stories  about  barbarian  ambasadors  being  delighted  with 
the  music  alone,  of  a  language  they  did  not  comprehend :  and  of  that  uni- 
versal acutenes  and  'proud  judgment  of  the  ear,'  which  made  the  Athenian 
herb-women  and  porters  speak  with  all  the  purity  of  the  Academy.  Yet  we 
should  have  other  proof  than  the  report  of  gramarians:  and  should  find  them 
writing  with  more  fulnesand  precision,  on  an  art  they  are  said  to  have  known 
and  practiced  so  well,  before  we  can  bcleve,  that  on  this  subject,  the  Greeks 
were  at  all  superior  to  ourselves  ;  and  if  they  did  '  speak  and  sing  at  the  same 
timej  '  they  were  not,  when  we  except  the  singing-speech  of  the  Quakers,  even 
below  us,  in  the  proper  uses  of  the  voice. 

If  one  should  be  disposed  to  beleve  in  the  vocal  perfection  of  the  Greeks, 
on  any  other  thaii  their  own  testimony,  he  might  well  question  the  authority 
of  their  Roman  eulogists ;  since  they  themselves,  the  pupils  of  the  Greeks, 
display  no  better  analysis  and  system  in  their  institute  of  elocution.  We  may 
fairly  estimate  their  discrimination,  when  with  the  same  pen  that  deals  out 
the  extravagancies  of  praise  upon  the  Oratorical  Action  of  their  masters,  they 
gravely  give  us,  as  proof  too  of  their  own  nicety  in  vocal  science,  the  story 
of  one  of  their  famous  orators  having  occasion  for  a  Pitch-pipe,  to  enable  him 
to  recognize  his  own  voice,  as  the  ignorant  populace  thot,  and  affectedly  to 
govern  his  melody,  by  the  more  accurate  perceptions  of  a  slave,  who  now  and 
then  blew  this  little  regulating  trumpet  at  his  elbow  I  ! 


632  A    BRIEF   ANALYSIS    OF   RECITATIVE. 

Here  I  conclude  the  cursory  vi(^w  of  the  physiological  func- 
tions of  Song  and  Recitative :  having  avoided  therein,  everything 
like  a  practical  aplication  of  the  subject.  Some  one  beter  qualified 
than  myself  may  be  disposed  to  prosecute  the  inquiry.  In  the 
first  part  of  this  Work,  the  vocal  signs  of  expresion  in  Speech  are 
set-forth  by  an  elementary  description  of  their  particular  modes 
and  forms.  An  analysis  of  the  forms  of  expresion  in  Song,  by 
the  light  of  that  description,  and  acording  to  the  hints  here  throAvn- 
out,  would  be  interesting,  and  might  be  sucesful.  Nothing  could 
give  me  more  pleasure  than  to  asist  in  its  development.  But  this 
would  lead  me  from  some  other  designs  of  duty  ;  and  I  have  too 
impatient  a  perception  of  the  wasted  experience,  and  profitles 
notions  which  daily  present  themselves  in  the  changeful  erors 
of  my  Profesion,  not  to  desire  to  use  in  its  service,  a  Method 
of  Philosophy  which  I  hope  will  be  found  to  have  been  efectual 
here. 

For  causes  known  to  more  than  to  myself,  but  which  others 
need  not  at  present  know,  I  laid  aside  a  Practical  work  on  Medi- 
cine, with  the  view  of  completing  this :  and  I  am  now  going  to 
resume  it. 


It  is  at  the  date  of  this  sixth  Editionj  forty  years  since  the 
preceding  sentence  was  writen,  on  the  first  Printing  of  this  esay. 
After  its  publication,  I  did  resume  the  subject  to  which  I  then 
aluded.  Its  broad  design  was  aranged  in  early  life ;  and  much 
of  its  detail  was  afterwards  executed.  Having  however  resolved 
to  pursue  that  subject  by  observation  alone ;  and  being  unwiling 
either  to  throw  time  away,  or  to  be  forced  into  wasteful  conten- 

Should  I  be  obliged  to  hold  an  opinion  upon  the  subject  of  ancient  acent^ 
the  Jixed  apropriation  of  an  acute,  grave,  and  circumflex  rise,  fall,  and  turn 
of  the  voice,  to  individual  sylables,  being  uterly  inconsistent  with  a  proper  or 
elegant  system  of  intonation,  would  induce  me  to  belevej  the  Greeks  and 
Romans  did  always  mean  stres  alone,  in  their  report  on  the  acentual  func- 
tion:  but  had  conected  with  it  a  crude  theory  of  pitch,  formed  perhaps  out  of 
some  fragments  of  Egyptian,  or  Eastern  science,  or  conceit;  whioli  Pytha- 
goras, or  whoever  imported  them,  did  not  comprehend. 


I 


A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS   OF   RECITATIVE.  633 

tions,  without  even  a  distant  prospect  of  usefulnes,  I  long-ago 
laid  it  aside,  for  subjects,  which  if  not  contributivc  to  others, 
might  at  least  be  instructive  and  agreeable  to  myself.  Its  pur- 
pose was,  on  the  ground  of  the  method  of  discovery  adopted  in 
this  esay,  to  propose  to  the  Practical  Department  of  Medicine,  the 
means  for  inquiring  into  the  dceji-laid  causes  of  its  unprofitable 
theoretic  habits ;  its  sectarian  contrarieties ;  its  perpetual  changes 
in  opinion  and  practice ;  and  its  restles,  but  well-meant  endeavors 
in  the  wrong  way,  to  acomplish  something  right  and  needful  for 
itself. 

To  obta,in  if  posible,  a  hearing  in  a  Cause  so  aparently  hopeles, 
I  laid  before  the  Medical  Profesion,  the  preceding  Example  of 
philosophic  investigation,  This  M"as  not  done  with  the  purpose 
to  improve  its  Elocution;  but,  from  the  sucesful  result  of  an 
inquiry  into  one  of  its  own  subjects,  to  invite  a  like  inquiry  into 
some  of  those  versatile  fictions,  which  under  the  name  of  knowl- 
edge, have  to  no  purpose,  ocupied  it  so  long ;  and  which  have,  to 
the  plain  observation  of  the  world,  been  the  jest  of  a  well-de- 
served but  useles  satire.  In  this,  however,  I  have  failed.  For 
altho  it  was  submited  as  an  original  view  of  the  proper  Physiol- 
ogy of  the  voicej  yet  with  a  Census  of  more  than  forty  thousand 
Physicians,  in  the  United  States,  I  do  not  know,  nor  have  I 
heard-of  one,  who  has  so  far  looked  into  it,  as  to  have  risked  his 
Theoretic  Life,  by  catching  a  single  infectious  thot  from  its  adopted 
Baconian  method :  a  method  that  did  hojoe  to  recomend  itself  by 
what  it  had  already  done. 

To  my  inteligent  Readers  of  another  class,  I  may  remark,  and 
it  will  perhaps  be  receved,  that  widely  diferent  as  the  esay  they 
have  just  finished  is,  in  system  and  in  practical  character,  from 
the  Old  Elocution ;  there  might  be  under  the  method  we  have 
adopted,  a  still  greater  diference  between  some  JS'ew  Order  of  Medi- 
cine, and  the  disorderly  opinions  and  practice  of  any  of  the  count- 
ies Heterogeneous  Systems  of  the  day ;  systems  under  which,  their 
votaries  must  still  pretend  to  know  more  than  they  do  know,  and 
afect  to  perform  more  than  with  their  jealous  contentions  among 
themselves,  they  ever  can.  Let  them  change  their  narow  view  of 
Causes  and  Effects,  for  one  of  Baconian  breadth,  in  observation 
and  reflection :  and  posibly  Truth,  who  in  her  purity  and  plaincs 


634  A   BRIEF   ANALYSIS  OF   RECITATIVE. 

seems  to  have  always  avoided  them,  may,  with  but  a  look  of 
philosophic  invitation  on  their  part,  lose  all  her  shynes,  and 
freely  aford  her  restorative  asistance  in  their  present  theoretic 
extremity. 

Philadelphia,  March  20,  1867, 


THE   END. 


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